Every generation of filmmakers has yielded its crop of daring queer visionaries whose works don't fit into clichéd genre boxes. Many of their films were censored, prohibited, or protested upon their release even while being championed by critics. But the film industry has come a long way since the Hays Code days when queerness could only be hinted at by way of a pronounced lisp, a penchant for lavender or a womanly gait.

With the Oscars to be handed out next Sunday, this seemed an opportune time to look back and honor some of those films. Assisted by an esteemed panel, we chose twenty films for our list of the most groundbreaking gay films. While there may be few similarities between a transsexual rock star, two fugitives on the run and a few lonesome cowboys, their outsider status is at the root of their individual struggle, and therein lies the common ground among AfterElton's chosen films.

This list is not intended as the "Best" gay films ever, but the most groundbreaking. No doubt many will feel other, "better" movies have been omitted--movies that were more popular, more fun, or more succesful. But it is our belief that each movie we have included somehow pushed the boundaries of queer cinema in new and exciting ways.

The sheer scope of the material to choose from made it necessary to set certain clear boundaries at the outset. Because AfterElton.com covers gay and bisexual men, all female-driven narratives were excluded (for coverage of lesbians and bisexual women, visit AfterEllen.com). Dated portrayals of gays as pansies or villains were dropped from consideration as well.

To help make the choices, we convened a panel of nine judges based on their knowledge of film history. This esteemed panel of experts included:

Alonso Duralde – Author of 101 Must-See Movies for Gay Men (Advocate Books)

Neil G. Giuliano – President, Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation

Adam Mattera – Editor, Attitude magazine

Raymond Murray – Artistic Director, Philadelphia International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival

Basil Tsiokos – Executive Director, NewFest: The New York LGBT Film Festival

Xavier-Daniel – Director, Barcelona International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival; member, International Federation of Film Critics

And the winners are:

The resulting list is no doubt subjective — as are all “best of” lists. Whether you agree or disagree with our selections, we hope they inspire you to debate, discuss and, most importantly, see these noteworthy films.

Now, let the pink reels unspool!

Next - Querelle

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