Given that 2022 was a great year for LGBTQ+ cinema, you may wonder what sort of queer films 2023 has in store. We’re here to give you a preview, outlining some of the LGBTQ+ films that have been announced to date, and why you should be excited about their release!

Little Richard: I Am Everything

First on our list of films to look forward to in 2023 is Lisa Cortés’ production exploring the legacy of queer rock ‘n’ roll icon Little Richard. Commissioned by CNN Films and HBO Max, it challenges the white-washed history of the genre, and shines a light on the influence of the legendary Black musician.

Knock at the Cabin

Next is an apocalyptic psychological horror by the name Knock at the Cabin. It follows a gay couple and their young daughter driving to a cabin for a vacation when suddenly they are taken hostage by four strangers.

The movie is based on the 2018 novel The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul G. Tremblay, and is directed by the legendary M. Night Shyamalan. With a cast of famous actors, we are beyond excited for this queer horror which is scheduled to release on February 3, 2023.

Tár

While having already released in selected US cinemas in late 2022, Tár will screen in Ireland from January 13. The psychological drama follows the rise and fall of renowned musical composer and conductor Lydia Tár, portrayed by none other than the iconic Cate Blanchett.

It premiered at the Venice International Film Festival in September where Blanchett won the Volpi Cup award for Best Actress, and has received great praise from those lucky enough to see it first.

Marry My Dead Body

Looking for a new favourite queer rom-com? Then keep your eye on Marry My Dead Body, a Taiwanese movie featuring a policeman who finds and picks up a red envelope only to find out that he is suddenly married to a ghost. The plot is heavily based on Chinese folklore, specifically Ming Hun or Ghost Marriages where a red envelope often signifies the deceased partner would spiritually present themselves to the person that opens it.

With this, there is a lot of superstition in Chinese culture surrounding red envelopes, and Taiwanese movies enjoy creating comedy from these superstitions as seen in Marry My Dead Body. The queer film is set to premiere on February 10, 2023 in Taiwanese cinemas, but there is no official release date for Ireland yet.

Passages

For fans of French movies, we have a spicy one lined up to premiere at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival! In Passages, directed by critically acclaimed filmmaker Ira Sachs, we follow German filmmaker Tomas embracing his sexuality in contemporary Paris.

Through a sultry affair with a young woman, he unravels his true feelings for his husband and has to either embrace the confines of his marriage or come to terms with the fact that the relationship has run its course. Sachs has described the film as “an intensely intimate piece that refuses to shy away from the messiness of life.” Although exclusive to Sundance at the moment, it is expected to have a wider release in 2023.

Cassandro

Also premiering at Sundance Film Festival, Cassandro tells the tale of Saúl, a gay amateur wrestler from El Paso, Texas. From humble beginnings, he rises to international stardom through his alter ego Cassandro, and as a result, upends the macho wrestling world and his own life.

There is no confirmed Irish release for this yet, but it’s expected to do the festival circuit.

Ganymede

This coming-of-age film is directed by husbands Colby Holt and Sam Probst with filming having finished in August 2022. In the film, we see a high school senior by the name of Lee Fletcher IV develop a crush on his openly gay classmate, but the story is not all it seems. Lee suddenly finds himself stalked by a faceless creature that endlessly occupies his thoughts and threatens to physically harm him.

Describing itself as a horror thriller the film, it was shot in Holt’s hometown of Paducah, Kentucky and the director has shared his decision for the location: “We wanted to explore the queer experience in the modern South, and the terror one can be made to feel with the realization they are gay or queer-identified.” The film is currently aiming for a festival debut in 2023 and hopefully, we will know more about its release in the new year!

Drift

Been working on this since 2019, so thrilled to share that my new film DRIFT will premiere at the 2023 #Sundance Film Festival in January. This is a timely film that encourages us to look beyond our differences to what connects us all, our shared humanity. See you @sundanceorg pic.twitter.com/J70Nh1US8z

— Anthony Chen (@anthonychenz) December 7, 2022

Another to debut at Sundance is Drift by award-winning Singaporean director Anthony Chen. The filmmaker’s first English-language production follows Jacqueline, who has just arrived on a Greek Island after fleeing war-torn Liberia.

While struggling to make ends meet and haunted by her past, she meets a lonely American tour guide, Callie, and takes a chance a friendship.

Egoist

Next up on our list of queer films is Egoist, a Japanese romantic drama that was adapted from a biographical novel of the same name. The movie focuses on Kosuke, a young gay person who spent his adolescence in a rural Japanese village with suppressed feelings. He now works as a fashion magazine editor in Tokyo and has met Ryuta who he spends lots of time with. All is good until Ryuta doesn’t show up to a meeting Kosuke scheduled with him, quickly learning his partner is involved in a different line of work.

The director of the film has reflected on the production, stating it is “something close to a documentary, it feels very personal.” He also commented on creating a queer film in Japan, saying “there are still misunderstandings when it comes to sexual minorities, and I think it’s our duty to confront these issues and present them to audiences.” It is currently scheduled to release in Japan in February 2023 and there are hopes for an international release too.

Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVqQ3NtX0nk

This fascinating documentary directed by Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson explores the life of legendary poet Nikki Giovanni. Through archival footage and fantastic artistic visuals, she reflects on her life and legacy, including her experiences throughout the Civil Rights and Black Lives Matter movements.

This is another on of the queer films that will show at Sundance, and hopefully we will see it on the international stage throughout 2023.

Mutt

Vuk Lungulov-Klotz’s MUTT starring Lío Mehiel and Cole Doman to premiere at #Sundance 2023.

Over the course of a single hectic day in New York City, three people from Feña's past are thrust back into his life. pic.twitter.com/4B6JTjVe8W

— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) December 7, 2022

A young trans guy experiences an incessantly challenging day in this emotional drama. Tormented by the ghosts of his past, the complexity of trans life, Latinx life and human life in general, are all spotlighted in the film.

Eileen

First look at Anne Hathaway and Thomasin McKenzie in ‘EILEEN’, to premiere at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. pic.twitter.com/Ud7rWJ19QT

— Cinema Solace (@SolaceCinema) December 7, 2022

Starring Thomasin McKenzie and Anne Hathaway, this female-led film is highly anticipated. Based on the book of the same name, it follows a peculiar young woman in 1960s Boston whose live appears to be plagued by unending misery.

When she meets an intoxicating prison guard, she bites at the possibility of something great. However, she could never expect how their story would unfold.

Femme

Based on Ng Choon’s award-winning short film released in 2021, the director pairs up with Sam H. Freeman for a feature-length movie with the same premise. A London drag queen, Jules, is a victim of a humiliating homophobic attack on the streets, but once he sees his deeply closeted attacker, Preston, in a gay sauna he begins his revenge.

The directors have commented, “by putting a gay protagonist at the heart of a thriller, we aim to invert expectations, and push stories from the margin, and ourselves as queer artists, into the mainstream.” The release date is still to be announced but keep Femme in your mind throughout 2023!

Fancy Dance

Another queer film from the Sundance 2023 lineup is Fancy Dance. It follows a Native American hustler who kidnaps her niece after her sister disappears, and sets out for the state powwow in the hopes of maintaining her family relationships.

Good Grief

Next on our list of queer films releasing in 2023 is Good Grief, a Netflix original movie. Schitt’s Creek star Dan Levy is making his directorial debut with this movie which is guaranteed to be a “moving tale of self-discovery, grief and friendship.” This moving tale centers around the protagonist Marc Dreyfus who distracts himself from the grief of losing his mother by getting married.

Soon after, his husband also tragically passes away, and with this reopened wound of grief, he travels to Paris with his two best friends on a journey of self-discovery. When speaking about writing the heartbreaking story, Levy said, “It’s funny, it’s bittersweet, it’s a project that has helped me work through my own grief. And I hope it does the same for other people as well.” Expect to see this one on Netflix sometime in the new year.

Fairyland

Very excited to announce that after years of pre-production, #Fairyland is premiering at #Sundance next month! #Sundance2023 The first time I saw #ScootMcNairy dressed as my dad I gasped. https://t.co/93Xh9AR4R2

— Alysia Abbott (@AlysiaAbbott) December 8, 2022

Based on the best-selling book Fairyland: A Memoir of My Father by Alysia Abbott, the film tells the story of a child growing up with her gay dad in San Francisco throughout the ’70s and ’80s.

The American coming-of-age drama portrays the young girl’s journey as she gradually discovers a world of artists and writers, as well as the effects of the AIDS crisis, in what is a truly moving tale.

Kokomo City

This raw documentary explores the lives of four Black transgender sex workers. Directed by Grammy-nominated producer D. Smith, the film is shot in black and white and provides an unapologetic analysis of Black culture.

That wraps up our list of queer films to look forward to in 2023. We’re sure there’ll be loads of exciting additions as LGBTQ+ representation in cinema continues to expand.