2005 brought positive results in the long-awaited, hard-fought struggle to change Hollywood’s preconceived notions about whether gay films with gay leading characters can succeed with audiences. The list of gay interest film nominees almost certainly headed for the 78th annual Academy Awards on March 5 is proof that the “love that dare not speak its name” can indeed speak its name, and in a way that can be heard, felt, understood and even honored by all. In years past, gays would consider themselves fortunate if there was even one token GLBT film among the Oscar nominees.

This year, instead of being tossed a bone, we’re being presented with a veritable banquet of queer-themed films, in a wide range of award categories. What a luxury!

Will it be Hoffman or Ledger? Brokeback Mountain, Capote or Transamerica?

Film audiences in 2005 experienced an unprecedented variety in the kinds of gay films and gay characters they could see. There was the light fluff of comical gay stereotypes in The Producers; the heavy social issues of AIDS and intolerance in Loggerheads; the real life experiments of queer communal living in the documentary Three of Hearts; the rocked out bohemian rhapsody of modern day queer ghetto life in Rent.

Most fascinating and refreshing were the unapologetic, atypical portrayals of gays who could be emotionally dark and even dangerous, as in Capote, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and The Dying Gaul.

And then of course, looming mightily above all, there was Brokeback Mountain.

“Love Is A Force Of Nature”, proclaims Brokeback Mountain’s tagline. So too, apparently, is the film itself. Brokeback is currently the odds-on-favorite Oscar power to be reckoned with. Considering how well it’s doing on its way up, Brokeback just might come down from the Oscar Mountain with up to 10 golden statues.

On Jan. 16^th Brokeback garnered four important wins (Best Screenplay, Best Song, Best Director, and Best Picture/Drama) at the 63^rd Golden Globes.

It further solidified its standing as leader of the Oscar pack on Jan. 22^nd when it was named Best Picture of the year at the Producers Guild Awards. (In 11 of the past 16 years, winners of this prestigious award have gone on take home the Oscar for Best Picture).

The extraordinary excitement generated over Brokeback continued to mount on Friday, Jan 27^th, when its four leads appeared on Oprah.

Then on Jan 28^th Ang Lee snagged the coveted Directors Guild Award, a key milestone on the road to Oscar glory.

Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Michelle Williams were all nominees at last night’s 12th Annual Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards, although none won. In fact, Brokeback was shut out completely from the winner's circle at the SAG Awards, a first for the film.

But that hasn't slowed the Oscar buzz. Whether synchronous or merely serendipitous, Brokeback Mountain launched its wider distribution right in the thick of heavy pre-Oscar activity. It will continue to expand past the Oscar nominations and final balloting; a cinematic juggernaut armed with maximum credibility and publicity as it seeks to win our nation’s culture-conflicted heartland.

Nor is Brokeback Mountain the only queer movie gay men will be watching for Oscar news.

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