Over the years, I’ve lost count of how many French films have stayed with me long after the credits rolled. There’s something about French cinema — the way it lingers on a glance, a pause, a moment of vulnerability — that makes love stories feel achingly real. And when it comes to queer narratives, France has a long tradition of crafting films that are both intimate and fearless, whether they unfold in the hazy glow of Parisian nights or the quiet tension of rural towns.
I’ve watched these movies not just as a cinephile, but as someone who cares deeply about how LGBTQ+ stories are told. I remember the first time I saw The Wild Reeds — I was struck by how unhurried it was, how it allowed the characters’ emotions to breathe. Years later, a film like 120 BPM hit me in an entirely different way, pulsing with urgency and activism. From deeply personal dramas to politically charged romances, each of these films has shaped the way I think about love, loss, and representation on screen.
This guide is my curated journey through decades of French gay cinema — from 1960s classics that dared to push boundaries, to modern romances that capture the complexities of queer life today, and even short films that tell more in 15 minutes than some features manage in two hours. If you’re exploring queer cinema beyond France, you might also enjoy my guides to Chinese gay and BL films, Japanese gay and BL movies, Korean gay and BL films, and British gay cinema. Whether you’re a longtime fan or just beginning to explore LGBTQ+ French films, I hope you’ll find something here that stays with you too.
Top French Gay Romance Films of the 21st Century
Country: France
Year: 2008
Genre: Drama / LGBTQ / Historical
Set in 1981, the story follows four young friends—Bruno, Isabelle, Nicolas, and Nathalie—at the dawn of the AIDS crisis. What begins as a carefree time of love and belief is soon shaken by the devastating arrival of the disease. Spanning two decades, the film portrays their fight against illness, the collapse and rebuilding of friendships, and the search for identity amid societal change.
Broadcast on France 2, this two-part TV movie blends intimate storytelling with a historical sweep. It’s beautifully shot, deeply emotional, and offers a thoughtful look at how AIDS transformed lives, relationships, and communities in France.
Country: France
Year: 2017
Genre: Drama / LGBTQ / Political
Set in the early 1990s during the height of the AIDS crisis, 120 BPM follows ACT UP Paris, a radical activist group made up of gay men, lesbians, and people living with HIV. Nathan (Arnaud Valois) is a newcomer to the movement, where he meets Sean (Nahuel Pérez Biscayart), a passionate and defiant member whose health is rapidly deteriorating. As their love deepens, Nathan transitions from being a lover to a caretaker, witnessing both the urgency of activism and the fragility of life.
Among modern French gay films, this is one of the most powerful and politically charged. While Call Me By Your Name captured romance, 120 BPM captures necessity—it’s visceral, angry, and deeply human. The film’s energy is raw, its protest sequences electrifying, and its intimacy tender yet unflinching.
Country: France
Year: 2005
Genre: Drama / LGBTQ / Art House
Romain (Melvil Poupaud), a successful fashion photographer, suddenly collapses and learns he has terminal cancer with only months to live. Unable to tell his family the truth, he lashes out and withdraws, even from his longtime boyfriend, Sasha (Christian Sengewald). Instead, he embarks on a solitary journey—visiting family, his grandmother, and strangers—reflecting on love, mortality, and the inevitability of dying alone.
Rather than leaving me heartbroken, this French gay drama felt strangely comforting. Watching Romain shop alone, cook alone, go to the beach alone, and quietly face death strips away the distractions of romance and focuses on acceptance. It’s a serene, introspective portrayal of the end of life, anchored by Poupaud’s quiet magnetism.
Country: USA / France
Year: 2009
Genre: Comedy / Romance / LGBTQ
Based on a true story, I Love You Phillip Morris follows Steven Russell (Jim Carrey), a charming con man who, after a life-changing car accident, comes out as gay and moves to Florida in search of love. His elaborate scams eventually land him in prison, where he meets Phillip Morris (Ewan McGregor) and falls deeply in love. Determined to be with Phillip, Steven uses his incredible wit and endless schemes to outsmart the system—over and over again.
It’s rare to find a gay romance told with such unabashed humor and sparkle. Carrey is irresistible in one of his most unconventional roles, and McGregor brings warmth and sincerity to the story. Beneath the absurd comedy lies a sincere love story that’s as outrageous as it is touching.
Country: France
Year: 2016
Genre: Drama / LGBTQ / Romance
Theo and Hugo meet in a sex club, their bodies entwined in a feverish 20-minute opening sequence. Afterwards, they leave together, cycling through the empty streets of Paris in the early morning. But reality crashes in when they must face an urgent HIV-related conversation. Over the course of 90 minutes in real time, their one-night stand transforms into something deeper—an intimate exploration of vulnerability, attraction, and the possibility of love.
One of the most daring French gay films in recent years, it blends explicit eroticism with tender romance. The shift from raw physical connection to gentle emotional intimacy feels organic and deeply human. It’s part dreamy urban fairytale, part sexual realism, and wholly unforgettable.
Country: France
Year: 2013
Genre: Thriller / LGBTQ / Drama
In a secluded lakeside cruising spot for men, Franck (Pierre Deladonchamps) is drawn to two very different men—Henri, an older, affable loner, and Michel (Christophe Paou), a stunning but mysterious stranger. When Franck witnesses Michel committing a violent crime, he is both terrified and unable to resist the pull of desire. Their dangerous liaison unfolds under the tranquil yet ominous surface of the lake.
Winner of the Queer Palm and Best Director (Un Certain Regard) at Cannes, this film is as much a thriller as it is an erotic drama. The stillness of the water hides dark depths, just as passion hides danger. It’s tense, moody, and unapologetically explicit, with a haunting sense of inevitability.
Country: France
Year: 2018
Genre: Drama / LGBTQ / Romance
Jacques (Pierre Deladonchamps), a free-spirited writer, meets the much younger Arthur (Vincent Lacoste) during a fleeting night of romance. Arthur falls hard, but Jacques—burdened by past heartbreak and living with HIV—is hesitant to believe in love again. When news of his ex-boyfriend’s death shakes him, Jacques lets Arthur move in, and their bond deepens against the ticking clock of illness.
Tender yet unsentimental, Christophe Honoré’s Cannes-nominated film captures fleeting love in the shadow of mortality. It’s a bittersweet portrait of connection—one that values intimacy and honesty over false hope. The performances are heartfelt, the writing sharp, and the atmosphere rich with Parisian melancholy.
Country: France
Year: 2005
Genre: Historical Drama / LGBTQ / Romance
In Nazi-occupied Paris, Jean (Jérémie Renier) and Philippe (Bruno Todeschini) risk everything to shelter Jean’s childhood friend Sarah (Louise Monot), a Jewish woman whose family has been killed. Their quiet life together is shattered when Jean’s estranged brother betrays him, exposing his homosexuality and falsely accusing him of collaborating with the enemy. Tragedy follows, testing loyalty, love, and the limits of survival.
This wartime gay drama is both tender and devastating. The brief moments of joy—a bike ride in the countryside, shared laughter—only make the inevitable heartbreak more powerful. It’s a reminder that love stories in history are often also survival stories.
Country: France
Year: 2014
Genre: Satire / Comedy / Political
In the fictional People’s Republic of Bubunne, women hold absolute power while men are veiled and confined to domestic life. Jacky, a 20-year-old young man, dreams of “marrying” the commander’s daughter, Colonel Bubunne XVI. When a royal ball is announced, Jacky sees a chance to fulfill his fantasy—only to discover the absurdity and corruption beneath this gender-reversed dictatorship.
A sharp political satire dressed as a surreal comedy, this film flips patriarchal norms on their head. While not strictly a romance, its queer undertones and playful worldbuilding make it an unusual entry in LGBTQ cinema. Think The Handmaid’s Tale meets Cinderella, but with biting humor.
Country: France
Year: 2022
Genre: Drama / LGBTQ / Romance
Novelist Stéphane Belcourt returns to his hometown for the first time in decades as the ambassador for a cognac brand’s bicentennial. There, he meets Lucas—the son of his long-lost first love, Thomas—which forces memories to resurface. At 17, Stéphane and Thomas shared an intense but secret romance, one that could never be revealed in their small, homophobic town. Confronting the past now means confronting all that was lost.
This is a delicate, aching film about memory, secrecy, and the love that shapes a lifetime. Its melancholy tone lingers, as does the sense of what it means to love in a time when being honest was dangerous. A quietly devastating story that will resonate with anyone who’s carried a first love like a ghost.
Country: France
Year: 2016
Genre: Coming-of-Age / Drama / LGBTQ
Damien (Kacey Mottet Klein) and Thomas (Corentin Fila) start out as bitter enemies in their rural high school, their fights fueled by insecurity and unspoken attraction. When Damien’s mother invites Thomas to live with them, the boys are forced into close quarters. What begins as hostility slowly transforms into mutual understanding, respect, and eventually love.
André Téchiné’s coming-of-age drama is raw and deeply human, capturing the turbulence of adolescence with authenticity. The snowy mountain landscapes contrast with the heat of their growing desire, and the performances make every emotional shift feel earned. A moving story of how love can grow where you least expect it.
Country: France
Year: 2006
Genre: Drama / LGBTQ / Romance
During a summer holiday in the French countryside, married man Frédéric (Bernard Campan) meets his new neighbor Hugo (Charles Berling), an openly gay designer. What begins as casual conversation turns into long, soulful talks that slowly reshape Frédéric’s understanding of love, desire, and himself.
Languid, poetic, and understated, this is less about physical romance and more about emotional awakening. The sunlit gardens and quiet evenings set the stage for an intimacy that’s both disarming and transformative. A quintessentially French meditation on love’s many forms.
Country: France
Year: 2018
Genre: Short Film / Coming-of-Age / LGBTQ
During a summer vacation at the family’s holiday home, 15-year-old Tom meets Félix, a 17-year-old guest staying with another family. The lazy afternoons, sunlit landscapes, and unspoken glances between them give way to a gentle yet intense emotional connection.
This short French film radiates “relaxed tension”—that unique mix of summer freedom and youthful longing. It’s understated but full of subtle beauty, recalling the nostalgia of first crushes and fleeting summers.
Country: France
Year: 2013
Genre: Drama / Thriller / LGBTQ
Middle-aged businessman Daniel (Olivier Rabourdin) meets Marek (Kirill Emelyanov), a young Ukrainian hustler, in Paris. What starts as a transactional encounter quickly spirals when Daniel becomes entangled with Marek’s gang of Eastern European street boys. Against a backdrop of danger and exploitation, a fragile bond forms between the two men.
Robin Campillo’s Eastern Boys blends social realism with a tense love story, exploring migration, power dynamics, and unexpected intimacy. Winner of the Venice Horizons Award, it’s gripping, unpredictable, and surprisingly tender.
Classic French Gay Movies (1964–2000)
Country: France
Year: 1964
Genre: Drama / LGBTQ / Coming-of-Age
At a strict Catholic boys’ boarding school in the 1920s, Georges (Francis Lacombrade) meets Alexandre (Didier Haudepin), a younger student whose warmth and openness pierce Georges’ rebellious exterior. Their deepening bond becomes the target of suspicion and moral outrage, threatening to tear them apart.
Jean Delannoy’s classic is a delicate portrayal of adolescent love and the oppressive systems that try to suppress it. The film’s gentle intimacy and tragic undercurrent make it one of the earliest and most poignant entries in queer cinema.
Country: France
Year: 2000
Genre: Drama / Romance / LGBTQ
Laurent (Cyrille Thouvenin) hides his sexuality from his conservative family, even going so far as to stage a relationship with his friend Carole. When he meets Cédric (Stéphan Guérin-Tillié), their chemistry is undeniable, but the facade he’s built starts to crumble. Cédric’s frustration grows as Laurent’s fear of coming out threatens their relationship.
A tender, accessible French romance that captures the push and pull between love and family expectations. Sweet, heartfelt, and relatable for anyone who has struggled with living authentically.
Country: France
Year: 1997
Genre: Drama / LGBTQ / Romance
Martin (Marcial Di Fonzo Bo) is no stranger to the specter of AIDS, but his world is shaken when he is diagnosed himself. Around this time, he meets Lucas (Jean-Michel Portal) and falls deeply in love, despite the looming reality of his illness. Lucas’s feelings slowly grow in return, but Martin struggles with the guilt of offering love when his time is short.
The film treats heavy subject matter with an unexpectedly light, romantic touch. It turns a potentially grim story into one of tenderness and fleeting beauty, celebrating love’s power even in the face of mortality.
Country: France / UK
Year: 1989
Genre: Drama / Psychological / LGBTQ
A boy moves with his widowed mother to a country estate, where he meets the landowner’s son. Lonely and grieving, the boy lashes out in cruel ways to assert dominance, especially after realizing his father’s interest in the new housekeeper. Beneath the bullying lies an unspoken longing and emotional confusion that neither child can express.
Dark, unsettling, and deeply symbolic, this film strips away the innocence usually associated with childhood stories. The final act is heartbreaking, revealing how unspoken feelings can twist into something destructive. A haunting depiction of youth, isolation, and emotional repression.
Country: France
Year: 1994
Genre: Coming-of-Age / Historical Drama / LGBTQ
In 1962 France, as the Algerian War casts its shadow, a group of boarding school students navigate the complexities of youth, politics, and desire. François (Gaël Morel) discovers his attraction to fellow student Serge (Stéphane Rideau), while Serge’s feelings are caught between François and their friend Maïté (Élodie Bouchez). Political tensions and personal loyalties intertwine as they all face the uncertainty of adulthood.
Winner of multiple César Awards, André Téchiné’s The Wild Reeds is a tender, layered portrait of self-discovery during a turbulent time in French history. It’s as much about friendship and ideology as it is about love, offering a timeless coming-of-age experience.
Country: France
Year: 1999
Genre: Drama / LGBTQ / Art House
In a French Foreign Legion unit stationed in Djibouti, Sergeant Galoup (Denis Lavant) is a model soldier devoted to discipline and order—until the arrival of new recruit Sentain (Grégoire Colin). Handsome, capable, and naturally charismatic, Sentain earns the admiration of the commander, stirring jealousy and desire in Galoup. His obsession drives him to sabotage Sentain, an act that ultimately costs him his own military career.
Claire Denis’s masterpiece is a slow-burning, visually hypnotic French gay film where longing and rivalry blur into something unspoken but palpable. The camera lingers on sunlit skin, taut muscles, and military drills, turning the legionnaires’ bodies into both objects of desire and symbols of repression. It’s a poetic, sensual, and haunting exploration of masculinity and obsession.
Country: France
Year: 1979
Genre: Drama / Romance / War / LGBTQ
Set in 1943 in a small southern French town under German occupation, the story follows Guy, a lonely villager who rescues an injured German soldier, Rolf, in the forest. Welcoming the change from his monotonous life, Guy cares for Rolf and persuades him to stay even after he recovers. Their quiet, passionate rural life slowly melts Rolf’s stern exterior, and affection grows between them. But one morning, Rolf is taken away by three men in black. Consumed by rage, Guy grabs Rolf’s pistol and follows — the story ends with a tragic gunshot.
A poignant, unconventional love story between “a madman and a fool.” The film captures a kind of pure, childlike affection stripped of prejudice, where passion is as innocent as it is intense. It’s a romance defined entirely by the two people within it, untainted by the world — until fate shatters it.
Best French Gay Short Movies
Country: France
Year: 2019
Genre: Short Film / Coming-of-Age / LGBTQ Drama
Two high school boys stumble into a game that unexpectedly makes them question — and ultimately accept — their sexual orientation.
For a queer short set in a school, PD dives far deeper than most. It’s not just about teenage confusion, the struggle for self-identity, or surviving a hostile school environment. It also touches on the glaring absence of sex and gender inclusivity education, and the lifelong challenge of living with a label. To me, this film isn’t simply about calling out homophobia — it’s about giving a bit of courage to anyone still caught between self-doubt and the weight of public opinion.
Country: France
Year: 2016
Genre: Short Film / Coming-of-Age / LGBTQ Drama
Set in 1992, the story follows Martin, who lives with his night-shift-working father. Outside of school, his world revolves around his camcorder. After getting beaten up one day, a teaching assistant gives him a ride home — and something quietly sparks between them. But their connection doesn’t go unnoticed, and Martin’s father eventually discovers the truth.
It wasn’t until the final DV segment — with the dad wearing glasses — that I realized those earlier grainy scenes weren’t modern recreations with filters, but actual footage shot decades ago.
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