Here Are Eight Queer Teen Love Stories You Can Watch Before (or After) "Love, Simon"

Before you see Love, Simon, fall in love with these modern classics all over again.

There's an unfortunate trope in movies that centre on queer love stories: a tragic ending. That's why hashtags like #BuryYourGays exist, as they attempt to call out scriptwriters for killing one half of a queer couple simply to make the story more dramatic.

It's for this reason that upcoming teen romance Love, Simon has slipped into a niche that has yet to be tapped. Instead of being a story of tragedy and heartache like some other acclaimed LGBTQI movies (see Brokeback Mountain, Philadelphia and even Call Me By Your Name), it tells the pretty ordinary tale of a regular teen in high school who happens to be gay. His name, you may have guessed from the title, is Simon.

Simon navigates his school, guarding the secret of his sexuality, but another student, Martin, threatens to reveal it if Simon doesn't help Martin score a date with his friend. Sure, the film touches on themes of homophobia and outing people who identify as queer, but unlike other movies and TV shows that centre around these issues, it revels in being mild and, most importantly, mainstream.

Before you flock to see it (Love, Simon opens in Australian cinemas 29 March), make sure you watch some of these modern classics that—along with Love, Simon—present a new frontier in queer films.

1. Call Me by Your Name

It’s 1983 and 17-year-old Elio is on summer holidays with his parents in Lombardy, Italy. There he meets Oliver, an older student working with his father, and they begin a passionate summer affair.

Luca Guadagnino's beautifully shot masterpiece was praised by critics for real chemistry between Timothée Chalamet and Armie Hammer as well as its universal portrayal of first love. It's one you can't miss.

Available on DVD or Blu-Ray from 11 April, 2018. Limited screenings in cinemas around Australia.

2. Blue Is the Warmest Colour

Adele is a French teen who makes eye contact with a blue-haired woman, Emma, on the street one day. They later meet in a bar and subsequently form a deep relationship that spans years.

Again, this movie was celebrated for its realistic portrayal of a coming-of-age lesbian love story that touched on nuances seldom explored in the cinemascape. But, be warned if you choose to watch it: there are some particularly graphic (and controversial) love scenes. For the '18+' crowd!

Available now on Netflix and the Apple store.

3. Moonlight

Set over three life stages, it shows Chiron coming to terms with his identity and sexuality after enduring a tough upbringing. The end result has regularly been considered a masterpiece.

Exploring themes of what it means to be an African-American growing up in the U.S. and coming out gay in a straight man's world, Moonlight also includes a decades-spanning love story. If you want to watch something reflective and visually unique, this would be your go-to.

Available on Stan and Foxtel.

4. First Girl I Loved

A high school yearbook editor develops a crush on the most popular girl in school. When she confides in her male best friend, he actively works to stop them being an item. Tsk.

The film's focus on first love and the insecurities we face in our teenage years has landed it in good favour with critics and viewers. If you want to watch a relatable love story, filmed in soft lighting and pastel hues, this is right up your alley.

Available now on the Apple store and Google Play.

5. Holding the Man

This is the true story of a drama student and captain of a school rugby team falling in love, and their subsequent relationship as the AIDS epidemic reaches Australian shores.

Unfortunately, this film falls into the category of not being as impactful as its source material (which everyone should read at least once), but it's still bound to make you shed a tear. 

Available now on SBS On Demand, Apple store and Google Play.

6. Pariah

A Brooklyn teen, Alike, juggles her relationship with her family while keeping her sexuality hidden... until she meets a new girl.

As we know, representation is important and as LGBTQI films become more common, it's important that they explore relationships outside the realm of white and cisgender. That's why Pariah, unfairly called the female Moonlight, is an important addition to this list as it depicts a queer black woman's experience with her conservative family.

Available now on the Apple store.

7. The Way He Looks

Gabriel begins to help out a fellow student, Leonardo, who is blind. They begin to form a tender relationship.

This Brazilian flick is similar in ways to Love, Simon in that it doesn't break from common teen-romance tropes or storylines. That being said, it does do something different in the sense that it delivers a solid teen-romance between two boys in a mainstream-feeling package. This one's bound to pull at some heartstrings.

Available now on SBS On Demand.

8. Being 17

After his mother agrees to take care of Thomas while his own mother is sick, Damien begins to befriend him despite their previous differences.

Focusing on a relationship that goes from hatred to desire in a mere hour, this tale looks at teenage sexual exploration and the violence and frustration in attraction. This should be your pick if you're looking to watch a more nuanced teen romance.

Not yet available in Australia but keep an eye on Just Watch for when it is.

Photo: 20th Century Fox