Queer film has always been a space where filmmakers experiment with form, desire and the kinky politics of intimacy. Across decades and genres, certain films have leaned deliberately into kink, power dynamics, unconventional relationships and the edges of queer erotic imagination.

The following collection highlights a range of kink-themed queer films, each using desire and dominance, longing and control, as tools to explore identity, connection and the human condition.

Pillion

Written and directed by Harry Lighton, Pillion follows Colin (Harry Melling), a timid, somewhat lost man whose life is upended when he’s taken under the wing of Ray (Alexander Skarsgård), an impossibly confident biker. What begins as an unlikely friendship transforms into a full-time dominant/submissive dynamic, pushing Colin into an emotional and psychological world he never expected to inhabit.

Bound

The Wachowskis’ Bound remains a landmark kinky queer film exploring desire, power and identity, pairing mob intrigue with a charged, kink-tinged romance between Corky (Gina Gershon) and Violet (Jennifer Tilly). As the women fall for each other, they embark on a dangerous plot to steal $2 million, weaving power play, seduction and trust into a tightly wound thriller.

Love Lies Bleeding

Sweaty, tense and muscular in every sense, Love Lies Bleeding centres on a gym manager (Kristen Stewart) who becomes entangled in a volatile relationship with a bodybuilder (Katy O’Brian). Their attraction is raw, obsessive and increasingly destructive, blending queer romance with dark, fetish-charged undertones.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

This 1975 cult classic introduced generations to campy explorations of kink, muscles, leather, medical aesthetics and playful domination, through the unforgettable figure of Dr Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry). A cornerstone of queer cinema, it remains a joyous celebration of sexual freedom.

Sauna

In this Danish drama, a gay man working at a sauna becomes captivated by William, a trans man he meets in the world of cruising. Their connection unfolds within a space marked by secrecy, longing and vulnerability.

The Duke of Burgundy 

A dreamlike period drama about two women who structure their romance around ritualised dominance and submission. Beautifully acted and never explicit, it remains one of the most atmospheric explorations of consensual power play on screen.

Stranger By The Lake 

Set at a secluded cruising spot, this thriller follows Franck, who becomes drawn to Michel, an enigmatic and dangerous man. Attraction, risk and desire intertwine as Franck knowingly steps into peril.

Shortbus

Set in an underground salon blending art, politics and sexuality, Shortbus follows a group of New Yorkers trying to navigate intimacy, identity and connection. The film treats kink and queer pleasure as communal, creative and emotionally complex.

Collectively, these films form a rich tapestry of queer kink on screen, with provocative, thoughtful and deeply human explorations of power, desire and the many ways people seek connection.