short films

Referring to films around 30 minutes or less. 

To find these resources through your local library, please use the invaluable Worldcat.org and search by Title or Director or use the search box below!

Act of Faith. Dir. Daniel Bree, 2006. 7 minutes

This very short film examines three very different Muslim men’s relationships with their Muslim faith and how they’ve struggled to live as openly gay men because of the cultural and religious disapproval. One has given up his faith altogether, as he was unable to reconcile faith and sexuality. The others have complicated relationships with both. The film doesn’t provide and answers to this dissonance – indeed, no film of any length likely ever could. Instead, this short production functions as a firm “we are here” announcement and a powerful encouragement to the religious establishment to modernize its thinking on contemporary issues.

Affirmations.  Dir. Marlon Riggs, 1990. 10 minutes

In another under-seen, uplifting gem from Marlon Riggs, this short seeks to celebrate the experience of being gay and Black in America. Despite the constant threats of racism and homophobia, HIV/AIDS, depression, and general persecution, gay, Black men have survived and find love, peace, and happiness in a hostile world. In this film, Riggs focuses on the positive aspects of being “in the life” and how those aspects help the community thrive. Like all of Marlon Riggs’s films, exponentially more ideas and content are explored than should even be possible in the runtime.

All God’s Children. Dir. Dee Mosbacher, Frances Reid, Sylvia Rhue, 1996. 26 minutes

This seminal documentary short explicitly and expertly explores the intersections of racism and homophobia and focuses on the struggle of organized religion and religious African-American queer people to find space for each other. It also makes a compelling argument that the homophobia many Black people have experienced from Black religious communities is a natural offshoot of the crippling racism those communities have endured. The film consists largely of interview vignettes of preachers, LGBT people, their families and some politicians (including, thrillingly, a young Rep. Maxine Waters offering full-fledged support to LGBT people) and the insights they offer make this an essential artifact in the representation of QPOC in film.

Anthem. Dir. Marlon Riggs, 1991. 9 minutes

This infectiously pulse-pounding long-form music video/experimental film audaciously combines music, poetry, provocative imagery, and myriad dance styles to ruminate on, critique, challenge, celebrate, and otherwise delve into contemporary Black, gay culture. Sly but insightful critiques are also directed at the derision of queer people in Black popular culture and the simultaneous disrespect of Black people in the gay community. Characteristically thought-provoking for documentarian Marlon Riggs, this short film is evocative, erotic, illuminating, upsetting and, ultimately, endlessly rewatchable. It highlights the enormity of the loss of Riggs as a filmmaker and the crushing void he left behind.

Body of a Poet. Dir Sonali Fernando, 1995. 29 minutes

A haunting, lush and moving examination of the complex and powerful work and life of the legendary poet Audre Lorde. This film explores its subject with gratitude and respect for her tremendous contributions, but instead of pure adulation, it instead opts to examine the often difficult and subjective nature of Lorde’s tremendous contributions with maturity, intelligence, and propulsive vitality. Interweaving dramatic reenactments, passionate discussion, and performance art, this vivacious film breathes life into Lorde’s life and work and accentuates their importance with the magnificent imagery and the thoughtfulness they deserve.

De Colores. Dir. Peter Barbosa and Garrett Lenoir, 2001. 28 minutes

This quietly uplifting documentary short features a series of interviews with Latinx families about their struggles with family members coming out, the fear and conflict this brought to the surface, and how the families matured past the homophobia and usually grew closer. A common theme amongst the parents and siblings of queer family is being confronted with the often homophobic assumptions and mores of society, religion, and culture and learning how to process and prioritize family over prejudices. Though not intended to be representative of a universal Latinx experience, it does provide numerous lessons of growth and acceptance. The voices represented here will be especially useful to parents and families of QPOC.

Greetings from Africa. Dir. Cheryl Dunye, 1994. 9 minutes

A gorgeous, wryly hilarious, quietly revolutionary slice of life. Cheryl Dunye’s penchant for storytelling, which made another of her short films, Janine, so excellent, is once again on display. She becomes romantically entangled with a woman known only as L, who is endlessly intriguing, but clearly nothing but trouble. Up to this point, this was Dunye’s most polished film by far, and seeing such an early example of a film this well produced exploring a type of relationship mostly unseen before that time is quite a revelation. Her effortless interweaving of black-and-white and color, and her narrative skill are an exciting predictor of her future success with The Watermelon Woman. Watch for the cameo by young future-legend Jacqueline Woodson.

Honored by the Moon. Dir. Mona Smith. 1990, 15 minutes

This powerfully short documentary of self-discovery and self-affirmation focuses on the experiences of gay, lesbian, and two-spirit Native Americans of various communities (largely Lakota and Ojibwe) and their experiences coming to terms with some negative lessons their communities have taught them about non-heteronormative life. For such a short film, an impressively wide range of topics are discussed including, importantly, how the homophobic cultures of European colonizers poisoned the cultures of Native communities that had no real longstanding history of homophobia. The strength of this film lies in its reliance on first-hand accounts and primary images. No other context is required – the stories speak for themselves. This short is, in many ways, ahead of its time.

In God’s House. Dir. Lina Oshino, 2006. 22 minutes

In the tradition of Hima B.’s Coming Out, Coming Home, this short documentary focuses on Asian-American families, specifically devoutly Christian and Catholic families, who have gay and lesbian family members. Very clearly intended as a conversation-starter within families and church communities, In God’s House addresses family and religious responsibilities to LGBT members and how they have often failed at living up to those responsibilities, often with devastating consequences. In addressing the toxic hypocrisy that leads to negative outcomes for Asian-American LGBT folks, this uplifting film also makes the case for radical love as a healing balm for communities torn about by religious- or culturally-informed prejudice.

Janine. Dir. Cheryl Dunye, 1991. 9 minutes

Quietly, concisely and powerfully, this early film of Cheryl Dunye’s spins a riveting story of her teenage friendship with an upper-class, very different, Caucasian classmate, the titular Janine.  There’s a bittersweet tinge to her riveting monologue as Dunye takes us through her idolization and tenuous attraction to Janine. This is only to discover her positive feelings toward Janine morphing, almost curdling as Dunye begins to become more true to herself and gains a more mature understanding of her identities as an African-American woman and a lesbian woman, as well as Janine’s hopeless lack of understanding of either. The staging and editing techniques, such as a motif involving two candles and the interjection of on-screen text at a couple of key moments could come across as amateurish by a lesser filmmaker but here they breathe even more life into a fascinating anecdote of coming-of-age. Dunye’s casual skill at storytelling and the chance to witness the early seeds of a great filmmaker make this a must-see. It’s a true gem.

Milind Soman Made Me Gay. Dir. Harjant Gill, 2002. 26 minutes

A collection of queer men from Indian and Pakistani backgrounds, and many different cultural and family traditions, describe how the intersections of their identities lead to unique and fascinating experiences in America, especially after Matthew Shepard’s murder and the 9/11 terrorist attacks. This short film manages to touch on homophobia, islamophobia, alienation, and navigating dating, often interracial dating, in the 21st century. Its strengths are not necessarily in focusing on the difficult issues facing these men but in how they find inspiration, what keeps them motivated and what they want for their futures. This film fills an important gap with perspectives that have been alarmingly absent from the body of films giving voice to QPOC.

No Regret (Non, Je Ne Regretted Rien).  Dir. Marlon Riggs, 1993. 38 minutes

Perhaps Marlon Riggs’s most rare and underseen classic, this moving documentary short features interviews with five HIV-positive Black men facing mortality and ostracization. Despite the sadness of the topic, this film sings with hope instead of despair, disclosure and sex positivity instead of shame, and power and resilience instead of depression. The defiant courage and optimism of the film’s subjects inspire us to move past the toxicity of regret towards hope for the future, even against the toughest odds.

Speak Easy, B. Dir. Becca Park, 2018. 15 minutes

Becca Park’s surreal, lush, and funny short film examines themes of depression, abandonment, and cultural alienation. Becca Park herself plays the title character, attempting to find a way to explain the complexity of these feelings to a white therapist who may not be equipped to understand. We follow her on a metaphorical journey to vast deserts, kitschy diners, and a hilarious interaction with her own inner child. Rarely has a film packed so many complex ideas surrounding intersectional identities into such a short and aesthetically daring film.

Trappings of Transhood. Dir. Christopher Lee and Elise Hurwitz, 1997. 32 minutes

An audacious, energetic and groundbreaking examination of the unique experiences of 11 trans men from various walks of life in the 1990s. The wide-ranging topics discussed by the highly diverse group of interviewees include isolation, violence, the perils of navigating sex and dating, transphobia in the gay community, and intersectional issues like how coming out as trans can play out different in different ethnic communities. This film feels ahead of its time in many ways, but also sobering, as many of the issues the interviewees faced in the mid-90s have actually been amplified and worsened in the ensuing 20 years, rather than solved. Nevertheless, this is a fascinating glance at day-to-day concerns of trans people from a refreshingly diverse array of perspectives and experiences.

Two-Spirit People. Dir. Michel Beauchemin, 1991. 23 minutes

This early, eye-opening documentary short examines the surprisingly widespread traditions of two-spirit people across many different Native cultures, as well as how contemporary Native gays, lesbians, and two-spirits have navigated life and coming-of-age. What’s fascinating about this film is that it makes clear that the recent pushback to ideas of a gender binary in much of mainstream Western culture is nothing remotely new in many cultures. Ways of knowing and ways of thinking from Indian cultures could provide much fuller understanding to modern conversations about the nature of gender.

Voguing: The Message. Dir. Dorothy Low, 1989. 13 minutes

This fast-paced introduction to the origins and culture of voguing and ball culture has perhaps been overshadowed a bit by Paris is Burning, which was released around the same time, but is nonetheless and excellent companion piece. As a primer, it very quickly orients the viewer to the terminology and the basic infrastructure of the NYC ball scene. In addition to this whirlwind introduction to the culture and how it adds value and meaning to the lives of its participants, we also get to see virtuoso performers like the legendary Willi Ninja practice their craft. This is an excellent addition to the canon, especially for those in a hurry.

The Worlds of Bernice Bing. Dir. Madeleine Lim, 2013. 35 minutes

This lean, brisk, and loving exploration of influential Chinese-American lesbian artist and activist Bernice Bing is an expertly crafted retrospective on her life and works. Bing’s tumultuous personal life, prolific artistic contributions, and intersectional issues in the art world are explored in surprising depth for a film of this runtime. This is a profound and emotional paean to one of art’s most unfairly overlooked pioneers is a worthy and eye-opening tribute.