Whether you’re planning to snuggle on the sofa with your significant other or to reject all conventions and have a movie night with your friends to celebrate Valentine’s Day this year, you will need a good list of LGBTQ+ romantic movies to pick from. The good news is: you only need to scroll down.

Alex Strangelove

Let’s start with the classics. Alex Strangelove is a favourite since its debut in 2018. The name of the movie is given by the protagonist himself, a high-schooler that struggles to come to terms with his feelings for a gay kid while trying to define his sexual identity. A light and heartwarming teen drama, this movie will make your Valentine so very sweet.

I Carry You with Me

This movie tells the bittersweet story of unexpected love that grows and changes, spanning decades. The romance between an aspiring chef and a teacher begins in Mexico, but then it embarks on a journey to New York City full of dreams, obstacles and hopes. If you want a dreamy and ethereal atmosphere this Valentine’s I Carry You with Me is the movie to choose.

Portrait of a Lady on Fire

This absolute work of art is set to bring you back in time to 18th-century France to witness the mutual attraction that develops between a countess’s young daughter and the female painter commissioned to do her wedding portrait. This slow-burn perfectly captures all the subtle ways in which patriarchy constricted the lives of young women at the time and it’s just perfect if you want a love story from another time for your romantic night.

Holding the Man

If “absolutely heart-wrenching” is what you’re looking for, then you should probably have a look at Holding the Man. A powerful love story between two men that spans 15 years, grappling with all kinds of difficulties, from discrimination to separation and temptation. The film beautifully analyses each part of their lives and how they were impacted by the HIV crisis in the 80s.

The Half of It

This witty coming-of-age story follows a shy teenage girl that decides to help the high school jock to win over the girl he likes. The problem? She likes the girl too. If what you want for your Valentine is a heartwarming rom-com that is also able to deliver some food for thought, this is definitely the movie for you.

Romeos

No Romeo and Juliet on this list, thank you very much! What we’re looking for are two Romeos, especially if one of them is Lukas, a trans man who starts to explore romantic love when he finds himself attracted to another man, Fabio. While you watch their relationship grow deeper you also get to witness an extraordinary story about self-discovery and acceptance.

God’s Own Country

Described as “a Yorkshire Brokeback Mountain“, this British love story follows the numb life of a young farmer and how it is disrupted by the arrival of a migrant worker to his farm. It is an achingly beautiful tale about giving oneself to love with a very realistic rural milieu as the background. It’s honest, hopeful, and filled with emotion to the brim.

Duck Butter

A fresh and modern rom-com, Duck Butter is about two young girls who try to navigate new love while also moving past previous heartbreak and bad relationships. The story explores new types of relationships and intimacy, making the movie funny but also poignant in the best possible way.

Summer of 85

If we’re talking LGBTQ+ romantic movies, Call Me by Your Name is probably the first title that springs to mind, but who hasn’t watched that movie at this point? So if you’re looking for something similar, Summer of 85 is a pretty good (and French) alternative. A tale of first love between two young men set on the coast of France, this movie is sure to break your heart in a million tiny pieces.

We’ve come to the end of our list for this 2022 Valentines and we hope it has helped you decide which queer love story will sweeten your night. And if you are not much of a romantic, but you would still like some queer content in your movie nights, be sure to check out our list of LGBTQ+ movies that came out in 2021.