10 Gay Films Of 2025 You Need To Watch This Holiday Break
The holiday break is upon us, which means one thing: time to disappear onto the couch with a solid lineup of films. 2025 has been a standout year for queer cinema. From Sundance award winners to big-budget musical adaptations, there’s something for everyone. We’ve rounded up 10 gay films from this year that deserve your attention over the break.
Twinless
Twinless arrived at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival and promptly won the Audience Award. Dylan O’Brien stars alongside writer and director James Sweeney in this psychological black comedy about two men who meet in a grief support group for people who’ve lost their twin. What begins as an unlikely friendship takes unexpected turns. O’Brien delivers dual performances that critics have called career-best work. The film holds a 97 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. You can rent or buy it on Amazon Video, Apple TV and Fandango At Home.
Plainclothes
Plainclothes marks Carmen Emmi’s directorial debut, and it’s a strong one. Tom Blyth plays Lucas, an undercover police officer in 1997 Syracuse assigned to entrap gay men. When he meets Andrew, played by Russell Tovey, everything changes. The film premiered at Sundance and holds an 85 per cent critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes. It’s available to rent or stream on Amazon Video, Apple TV and Fandango At Home.
The Wedding Banquet
Andrew Ahn, the director behind Fire Island, returns with The Wedding Banquet, a remake of Ang Lee’s 1993 classic. Bowen Yang, Han Gi-chan, Kelly Marie Tran, and Lily Gladstone star in this comedy about a green-card marriage between a gay man and his lesbian friend. When the groom’s grandmother arrives to throw an extravagant Korean wedding banquet, plans go sideways. The film sits at 88 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes and is streaming on Paramount+.
Sauna
Denmark’s Sauna turns the heat up as Johan, a sauna attendant, falls for William, a trans man taking time out from uni. Director Mathias Broe mines class and gender politics while serving sun-bleached visuals and tender chemistry that broke ground at Sundance earlier this year.
Pillion
Pillion is not your typical love story. Harry Melling plays Colin, a shy parking attendant who meets Ray (Alexander Skarsgård), an enigmatic biker. What follows is a year-long Dom/Sub relationship that is tender, funny and surprisingly moving. Director Harry Lighton adapted Adam Mars-Jones’s novel Box Hill for his feature debut, winning the Best Screenplay prize in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes. Melling spent time with the Gay Bikers Motorcycle Club to prepare for the role. The film is distributed by A24 and released in cinemas in the UK in late November, with a US release to follow.
On Swift Horses
On Swift Horses tells parallel stories of queer desire in post-war America. Elordi plays Julius, a Korean War veteran who falls for his casino coworker Henry (Diego Calva). Meanwhile, his sister-in-law Muriel (Daisy Edgar-Jones) begins her own secret romance with a woman, Sandra (Sasha Calle). Based on Shannon Pufahl’s 2019 novel, the film is now streaming on Netflix and HBO Max.
Jimpa
Jimpa stars John Lithgow as an ageing gay man living in Amsterdam. His daughter Hannah (Olivia Colman) and her nonbinary teenager Frances (Aud Mason-Hyde) visit, and Frances expresses a desire to stay with their grandfather for a year. Director Sophie Hyde drew on her own experiences growing up in a queer family. The film is set for a US theatrical release in February 2026 through Kino Lorber.
Lilies Not for Me
Lilies Not for Me is set in 1920s England. Fionn O’Shea stars as Owen, a gay novelist confined to a psychiatric facility meant to “cure” his sexuality. Through conversations with his nurse Dorothy (Erin Kellyman), he recounts his past relationship with Philip (Robert Aramayo) and the tragic consequences of an experimental treatment. The film is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
The Parenting
The Parenting follows boyfriends Rohan (Nik Dodani) and Josh (Brandon Flynn) as they plan a weekend getaway to introduce their parents. Things go awry when they realise their rental is haunted. The cast includes Edie Falco, Brian Cox, Lisa Kudrow and Parker Posey. It’s currently streaming on HBO Max.
Hedda
Hedda stars Tessa Thompson as a 1950s British socialite navigating a lavish party while confronting the return of her former lover Eileen (Nina Hoss). Directed by Nia DaCosta and adapted from Henrik Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler, the film offers a queer reimagining of the classic story. It’s available to rent on major platforms.
Most of these films are available to stream now. Grab a blanket, make some popcorn and enjoy.
