14 of Filmmaker Amy Campione’s Picks for Pride

By AGBOVERSE Staff

As a filmmaker and celebrated member of AGBO's Storytellers Collective (AGBO StoCo), Amy Campione has a keen eye for compelling narratives that resonate deeply within the LGBTQ+ community. This Pride Month, join her as she shares a curated list of 14 films, filmmakers & festivals that not only entertain but also embrace the diverse spectrum of queer experiences. These selections reflect a rich tapestry of emotions, struggles, and triumphs, each crafted to enhance our understanding and appreciation of LGBTQ+ cinema. Follow along as Amy guides us through a vibrant collection that celebrates the essence of Pride through the art of film.

Amy, a prolific filmmaker, debuted with "American Girl" in 2017, a film she produced and directed, released on platforms like Amazon Prime and iTunes. It won "Best Feature Producer" at the LA Femme International Film Festival and was featured at CIMMFest. She is a past participant of both the WIF Mentorship Program and Ryan Murphy’s Episodic Directing Mentorship Program, Half. Amy’s pilot script Snares of the Devil won the Filmaka “Trapped” Web Series competition and it was subsequently funded into a 10 episode, short form series, which Amy wrote and directed. Her short film “Yes Chef” won the 2020 Russo Brother’s Film Forum in partnership with NIAF and ISDA and she is an active member of the AGBO Storytellers Collective. Amy’s short film script “What Got Meant to Be Free” was recently shortlisted for the 2022 First Flights Short Film Fund, a 2023 Filmmatic Horror Screenplay Awards Quarterfinalist, a 2023 Midwest WeirdFest Short Screenplay Semi-Finalist and a 2023 Big Apple Screenplay Festival Honorable Mention.

The AGBO Storytellers Collective is an alumni network of young filmmakers who have received either a grant or award from an AGBO fellowship or competition. Mentorship is an important value for the company, and AGBO hosts several initiatives that champion emerging filmmakers, providing support to the next generation of storytellers. Such programming at AGBO includes a Slamdance Film Festival Fellowship, the Russo Brothers Italian American Filmmaker Forum, as well as AGBO’s own global 48-hour short film festival, No Sleep ‘til Film Fest. The Storytellers Collective offers ongoing mentorship and industry guidance from AGBO executives. Beyond mentorship, it also serves as a community for these filmmakers to connect with one another and collaborate, nurturing and supporting each other’s growth as artists.

🌈 Rainbow Reels 🎬

But I’m A Cheerleader

Megan (Natasha Lyonne) considers herself a typical American girl. She excels in school and cheerleading, and she has a handsome football-playing boyfriend, even though she isn't that crazy about him. So she's stunned when her parents decide she's gay and send her to True Directions, a boot camp meant to alter her sexual orientation. While there, Megan meets a rebellious and unashamed teen lesbian, Graham (Clea DuVall). Though Megan still feels confused, she starts to have feelings for Graham.

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Thelma

A college student starts to experience extreme seizures while studying at a university in Oslo, Norway. She soon learns that the violent episodes are a symptom of inexplicable, and often dangerous, supernatural abilities.

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A Secret Love

Amid shifting times, a former baseball player keeps her lesbian relationship a secret from her family for seven decades.

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Paris is Burning

This documentary focuses on drag queens living in New York City and their "house" culture, which provides a sense of community and support for the flamboyant and often socially shunned performers. Groups from each house compete in elaborate balls that take cues from the world of fashion. Also touching on issues of racism and poverty, the film features interviews with a number of renowned drag queens, including Willi Ninja, Pepper LaBeija and Dorian Corey.

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Carol

Aspiring photographer Therese spots the beautiful, elegant Carol perusing the doll displays in a 1950s Manhattan department store. The two women develop a fast bond that becomes a love with complicated consequences.

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👩‍❤️‍👩Queerly Beloved👨‍❤️‍👨

Clea DuVall

Writer/Director/Actress/Producer

Known for: Girl Interrupted, The Intervention, Happiest Season

Justin Simien

Writer/Director/Producer

Known for: Dear White People, Haunted Mansion, Bad Hair

Gus Van Sant ‍

Director/Actress/Producer

Known for: Goodwill Hunting, Elephant, Milk

Emma Seligman

Writer/Director/Producer

Known for: Shiva Baby, Bottoms, Void

John Waters

Writer/Director/Actress

Known for: Hairspray, Pecker, Pink Flamingos

🏳️‍🌈Pride on Display⚧️

Outfest

est. 1982 is one of the only global LGBTQIA+ arts, media and entertainment organizations whose programs empower artists, communities and filmmakers to transform the world through their stories, while also supporting the entire life-cycle of their career.

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Frameline

Known as the San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival, Frameline is the oldest and largest LGBTQ+ film exhibition in the world, offering powerful insights through cinema.

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