The Queer Gaze

Now that La Bola Negra is out in limited release, Conrad and Joe can release our thoughts from TIFF 2026.
From filmmaking (and former romantic) duo, Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, the Spanish Netflix film follows three different stories of queer men dealing with homophobia, storytelling, and living an authentic lives.
Featuring supporting turns from Penelope Cruz and Glenn Close, this is one of the most celebrated queer films of the year!
Seen the film or want to hear more details? Subscribe to our Patreon at patreon.com/TheQueerGaze for ~25 more minutes of spoiler-heavy discussion.
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Our 'Sad Goodbyes and Roadtrips' sub theme on films dealing with HIV & AIDS continues with Neil Armfield's 2015 adaptation of Timothy Conigrave's 1995 memoir, Holding The Man.
Is the film a mainstream reckoning for Australia's AIDS history (as local critics argued) or is simply a decent tearjerker? Conrad and Joe are divided on its success.
Plus: casting Australian acting royalty; the terrible WIG game; and that punishing ~2 hour runtime.
Seen the film or want to hear more details? Subscribe to our Patreon at patreon.com/TheQueerGaze for 14 more minutes of spoiler-heavy discussion.
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Follow the show on Insta and BlueSky: @thequeergaze.
Email us: thequeergazeshow@gmail.com
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Conrad and Joe have a spoiler-free discussion of Herman Yau's "based on a true story" We're Nothing At All (2026).
The film tells the story of Fai and Ike - two vulnerable men in Hong Kong who fall in love despite society's attempt to keep them down. This is cross-cut with another timeline in which a bus explosion kills 16 and injures 30. How and when will the two stories intersect?
Seen the film or want to hear more details? Subscribe to our Patreon at patreon.com/TheQueerGaze for 17.5 minutes of spoiler-heavy discussion.
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Follow the show on Insta and BlueSky: @thequeergaze.
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Our HIV & Aids sub theme on 'Sad Goodbyes and Road Trips' kicks off with Longtime Companion (1989).
What's surprising about this film is that it went theatrical! Sure, it was a struggle to shoot and finance (and there's only one actual queer in the cast), but it's something of a marvel regardless.
Plus: Speedos and young Dermot Mulroney; another Mary-Louise Parker performance; and why Campbell Scott's character Willy earns Joe's derision.
Seen the film or want to hear more details? Subscribe to our Patreon at patreon.com/TheQueerGaze for ~22 more minutes of spoiler-heavy discussion.
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Follow the show on Insta and BlueSky: @thequeergaze.
Email us: thequeergazeshow@gmail.com
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Conrad and Joe continue their 2026 TIFF coverage with Marine Atlan's 2.5 hour feature directorial debut, La Gradiva (2026). Centering on a French school group who travel to Naples, the film is a coming of age exploration of sex, sexuality, politics, and art. Featuring a trio of leads (one of whom is explicitly queer), this was Joe's favourite film of the festival and one that lingers long after the credits.
Seen the film or want to hear more details? Subscribe to our Patreon at patreon.com/TheQueerGaze for ~13 more minutes of spoiler-heavy discussion.
Like the show? Rate, review and subscribe to help others find us
Follow the show on Insta and BlueSky: @thequeergaze.
Email us: thequeergazeshow@gmail.com
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.