International films that handled the topic of homosexuality with grace

We wont be surprised if Benedict Cumberbatch bags the Best Actor gong at Oscars next month After all the buzz surrounding his performance in The Imitation Game is so loud that its hard to overlook his chances The Sherlock star is essaying Alan Turning and it goes without mentioning that the celebrated mathematicians sexual orientation plays a significant role in the biopicBenedict CumberbatchAnd for the record so far only four actors mdash Tom Hanks Phillip Seymour Hoffman Charlize Theron and Sean Penn mdash have managed to win the Academys top prize by portraying gay characters Which is also why hitlist is taking you on a walk through some of the finest films that showcased the various aspects of homosexuality without resorting to cinematic caricaturehellipYossi amp Jagger 2002Director Eytan FoxLowdown Israel churns out about 35 films a year and this one was one of the bravest for its times Centered in a military base the story revolves around two army men who are in love with each other mdash unbeknownst to others of course The twist takes place when one of them passes away leaving several loose endsLatter Days 2003Director C Jay CoxLowdown Religion and sexuality dont always mix well But with this movie the writerdirector chases the possibility of a hardened fanatic accepting who he really is The finest part of this process being that he doesnt vulnerable On the contrary what starts out as a silly bet ends up as the ultimate path to sexual redemptionMonster 2003Director Patty JenkinsLowdown Based on the troubled life of prostituteturnedmurderer Aileen Wuornos Charlize Theron played the female protagonist whose only form of solace occurs in the form of Christina Riccis subdued character Their relationship not only provides a glimpse of hope for Wuornos but also spells the doom for herBrokeback Mountain 2005Director Ang LeeLowdown Writer Annie Proulx recently blamed this film for the misinterpretation of her short story which turned out to be the source of adapted screenplay However that doesnt discount the fact that the sort of temporary romance shown between two cowboys couldnt have been portrayed more sensitivelyShelter 2007Director Jonah MarkowitzLowdown A surfer dude is unwillingly compromising on his artistic dreams for his familys sake Right when hes coming to terms with his financial disabilities he falls for his friends elder brother What follows is a clandestine but beautiful relationship filled with enlightening bumps for both the men involvedMilk 2008Director Gus Van SantLowdown Harvey Milk became one of the first openly gay officials in the United States His interesting story finds a peg in this remarkable biopic where Sean Penn essayed him mdash almost perfectly mdash encompassing the sociopolitico environment of the 70s By the end of the film tolerance not homophobia becomes the keywordWere the World Mine 2008Director Tom GustafsonLowdown Scripts featuring homosexual characters have a propensity of embracing clicheacutes Especially when stage is concerned But this film topples preset prejudices by introducing beefy rugby players in a Shakespearean theatre Oh wait magic has an intriguing part to play too for the gay protagonistThe Kids Are All Right 2010Director Lisa CholodenkoLowdown A lesbian couple Annette Bening and Julianne Moore are busy raising their kids when an information mdash in the form of Mark Ruffalo mdash from their past interrupts them In the course of action Moores ambiguous character wonders whether she is really gay while Annettes understands the importance of being softWeekend 2011Director Andrew HaighLowdown What begins as a casual onenight stand turns into something much deeper in essence between the two protagonists One of the most acclaimed films of 2011 Weekend takes you on a tour through moments of expected intimacy and unexpected commitment The best thing being the simple manner in which the film is executedThe Paperboy 2012Director Lee DanielsLowdown Can you ever imagine a movie in which Matthew McConaughey getting an erection ogling John Cusack We couldnt either However in this film thats exactly what happens as McConaughey plays a closet gay lawyer So much so his sexual leaning changes the entire story as the plot thickens into a messy marshStranger by the Lake 2013Director Alain GuiraudieLowdown Set in a French lakeside village homosexuality is in the air For more than half of the screentime men are naked and on their way to swim This idyllic setting takes a grim turn when murder is suspected instead of accident Thats also when the young protagonist learns a lesson about the price love when confused with lust can make one payBlue Is the Warmest Color 2013Director Abdellatif KechicheLowdown It cant possibly get more explicit than this Fortunately titillation isnt the motive of this French feature on budding women What begins as a mean of sexual explortation ends up as a love story that is heartbreakingly unrequited Adegravele Exarchopoulos couldnt have dreamt of a stronger mdash or for that matter exposed mdash role