Secrets of Scouts (2011)

Years before Mexican director, Alfonso Cuaron, was winning Academy Awards for movies like Gravity (2013) and Roma(2018), he directed a small, intimate film about two best friends who decide to embark on an improvised road trip to spend time with an older, attractive woman who miraculously agrees to go with them. Y tu Mamá También is a deep journey into the raw sexuality and friendship of the young protagonists, as well as a subtle social and political commentary on Mexico at the time.

Where we leave the characters is in such a peaceful and optimistic place. It feels well-earned to ensure everyone gets their own specially-crafted happy ending.

Although Christmas is a time of year for love and cheer for all, holiday cinema has not always represented diverse communities. Being a holiday with Christian origins, much of its media consists of straight white families or straight white romances. Luckily, modern years have been bringing with them plenty of POC and LGBTQ+ representation that the holidays so desperately need.

We can criticize depictions from old media, but they weren’t simply “good for their time”. They were fighting and struggling in a world we can’t imagine.

As an Indian lesbian living in the United Kingdom, the cards are stacked against Geetika from the start.

Tara Thorne’s film is equal parts emotional and comedic, illustrating the beauty and the pain of long term relationships.