Cruising
2026-07-07 21:45 - 23:30 UTC | Roxy Cinema, 2 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY, 10013, United States
Roxy Cinema presents a special screening of William Friedkin’s controversial thriller Cruising, one of the most debated and discussed films in LGBTQ+ cinema history. Starring Al Pacino, the 1980 film follows a New York City police detective who goes undercover in the city’s leather and BDSM subculture to investigate a series of murders targeting gay men.
Set against the backdrop of late-1970s Manhattan, Cruising offers a rare cinematic glimpse into New York’s pre-AIDS queer nightlife. Filmed in and around actual leather bars and underground clubs, the movie inadvertently became an invaluable time capsule of LGBTQ+ spaces and communities that would soon be profoundly transformed by the AIDS epidemic. While intended as a crime thriller, the film has since taken on new significance as a document of queer history.
Upon its release, Cruising sparked widespread protests from LGBTQ+ activists, who criticized the film for reinforcing negative stereotypes about gay men and portraying queer spaces as dangerous and violent. Demonstrators attempted to disrupt production during filming, and the controversy surrounding the movie has continued for decades. At the same time, many contemporary critics and scholars have revisited the film, arguing that it offers a more complex portrait of identity, desire, and masculinity than was initially recognized.
Today, Cruising occupies a unique place in queer film history. It remains both controversial and essential viewing, prompting conversations about representation, censorship, and the evolution of LGBTQ+ visibility in mainstream cinema. Whether viewed as a flawed thriller, an important historical artifact, or both, the film continues to generate discussion more than forty years after its release.
Presented at Roxy Cinema, this screening offers audiences the opportunity to revisit one of the most provocative films ever made about New York’s gay underground and to reflect on its enduring cultural legacy.

Scott Heim & Kyle Dillon Hertz: Mysterious Skin
2026-07-06 19:00 - 20:00 | Strand Bookstore, 828 Broadway, New York, NY, 10003, United States
Join acclaimed novelist Scott Heim and writer Kyle Dillon Hertz for a conversation celebrating a new edition of Mysterious Skin, the cult-classic queer novel that inspired the acclaimed 2004 film adaptation. Decades after its original publication, Heim’s haunting and deeply empathetic novel remains one of the most powerful works of LGBTQ+ literature.
Originally published in 1995, Mysterious Skin follows two young men from a small Kansas town whose lives remain shaped by a shared traumatic childhood experience. As adults, they struggle to understand their memories, identities, sexuality, and the lasting effects of trauma.
Told with remarkable sensitivity and emotional depth, the novel explores memory, survival, intimacy, and the ways people construct narratives about themselves in order to cope with pain. While difficult and often heartbreaking, it is widely regarded as a modern queer literary classic.
Queer Significance
Mysterious Skin occupies a unique place in LGBTQ+ literature. Rather than focusing on coming out or romance, it examines queer identity through themes of memory, alienation, desire, and resilience. The novel gained an even wider audience through the acclaimed film adaptation directed by Gregg Araki and starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
About the Authors
Scott Heim is an award-winning novelist whose work often explores LGBTQ+ identity, memory, and emotional survival. Kyle Dillon Hertz is a writer and critic whose work frequently engages with queer culture, literature, and film.
Content Note
This novel contains themes of childhood sexual abuse, trauma, exploitation, and psychological distress. Readers should be aware that the discussion may address these topics.
Perfect For

LGBTQ+ readers
Fans of queer literary fiction
Readers interested in cult classics
Followers of Gregg Araki’s films
Anyone interested in complex, emotionally rich storytelling

The Decameron
2026-07-02 21:35 - 23:00 | Metrograph, 7 Ludlow Street, New York, NY, 10002, United States
Metrograph presents Pier Paolo Pasolini’s The Decameron, a vibrant and irreverent adaptation of Giovanni Boccaccio’s fourteenth-century literary classic. The first installment in Pasolini’s celebrated “Trilogy of Life,” the film marked a significant departure from the director’s darker and more overtly political works of the late 1960s, embracing humor, sensuality, and the pleasures of everyday life.
Drawing inspiration from Boccaccio’s collection of stories, the film unfolds as a series of interconnected tales populated by thieves, lovers, dreamers, religious figures, and ordinary people. Set in medieval Italy but infused with contemporary energy, the stories celebrate human desire and folly while offering a playful critique of social conventions and institutions. Pasolini himself appears in the film as a painter inspired by the Renaissance master Giotto, providing a unifying thread between the various episodes.
Though often remembered for its earthy humor and exuberant visual style, The Decameron also reflects Pasolini’s broader artistic vision. The filmmaker sought to create a cinema rooted in physicality, pleasure, and popular culture, rejecting the alienation he saw in much contemporary art. The result is one of the warmest and most accessible works in his filmography, filled with memorable characters, sun-drenched landscapes, and moments of unexpected beauty.
For LGBTQ+ audiences, Pasolini remains a towering figure in queer cultural history. Openly gay at a time when doing so carried significant personal and professional risks, he brought a distinctly queer perspective to his work while challenging social, religious, and political norms. The Decameron stands as an essential entry point into the work of one of the twentieth century’s most influential filmmakers and intellectuals.
Presented in a rare 35mm screening, this Metrograph engagement offers an opportunity to experience the film’s rich colors, textures, and visual vitality as it was originally intended to be seen.

Jeremy Atherton Lin & Henry Hicks IV: Deep House
2026-06-30 19:00 - 20:00 | Strand Bookstore, 828 Broadway, New York, NY, 10003, United States
Award-winning writer Jeremy Atherton Lin visits Strand to discuss his new book, Deep House, in conversation with writer and editor Henry Hicks IV. Part memoir, part cultural history, and part meditation on queer life, Deep Houseexplores the spaces queer people have created for themselves—from private homes and hidden rooms to clubs, bars, and communities built in response to exclusion.
About the Book
In Deep House, Atherton Lin examines the idea of “home” through a distinctly queer lens. Drawing on personal experiences, historical research, and cultural criticism, he traces how LGBTQ+ people have transformed domestic spaces into sites of identity, intimacy, resistance, and belonging.
The book moves between memoir and history, exploring everything from queer households and chosen family to nightlife, architecture, and the politics of who gets to feel at home. Like his acclaimed memoir Gay Bar, Atherton Lin uses personal storytelling to illuminate broader questions about queer culture and community.
Why It’s Queer
Jeremy Atherton Lin is one of the most insightful contemporary writers chronicling LGBTQ+ history and culture. His previous book, Gay Bar, became a celebrated exploration of queer nightlife and community. Deep House continues that work by examining the places where queer lives unfold and the meaning of belonging in a world that has often excluded LGBTQ+ people.
About the Author
Jeremy Atherton Lin is the author of the National Book Critics Circle Award-winning memoir Gay Bar. His writing blends memoir, criticism, history, and cultural observation, making him one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary queer literature.
Perfect For

LGBTQ+ readers
Fans of queer history and cultural criticism
Readers of memoir and nonfiction
Architecture and urban culture enthusiasts
Anyone interested in community, belonging, and identity

Clarence A. Haynes & Krishan Trotman: The Broken Hearts Agency
2026-06-29 19:00 - 20:00 | Strand Bookstore, 828 Broadway, New York, NY, 10003, United States
Join acclaimed author Clarence A. Haynes in conversation with publishing executive and literary advocate Krishan Trotman for a discussion of Haynes’s latest novel, The Broken Hearts Agency. Blending romance, mystery, fantasy, and queer storytelling, the novel explores grief, healing, and the complicated ways people move forward after heartbreak.
Set in contemporary New York City with a supernatural twist, The Broken Hearts Agency follows a queer protagonist navigating love, loss, and second chances. Combining emotional depth with elements of fantasy and mystery, the novel asks what happens when heartbreak becomes something that can be studied, managed, or even transformed.
Haynes is known for crafting stories that center Black queer characters while blending genres in unexpected ways, creating narratives that are both entertaining and emotionally resonant.
Why It’s Queer
Clarence A. Haynes is an openly queer writer whose work places LGBTQ+ characters and experiences at the center of the story rather than the margins. The Broken Hearts Agency continues that tradition, offering readers a queer love story wrapped in fantasy, mystery, and heartfelt reflections on grief and healing.
About the Author
Clarence A. Haynes is the author of acclaimed speculative and contemporary fiction that explores identity, belonging, spirituality, and Black queer life. His writing has earned praise for its warmth, imagination, and commitment to representing LGBTQ+ characters in complex and authentic ways.
Perfect For

LGBTQ+ readers
Fans of queer fiction
Romance and fantasy lovers
Readers seeking Black queer stories
Book club enthusiasts
Anyone who enjoys emotionally rich speculative fiction

DJ Bill Coleman's Pride Silent Disco
2026-06-28 20:00 - 23:00 | The Dance Floor at Josie Robertson Plaza, 10 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY, 10023, United States
A giant outdoor dance party returns to Lincoln Center as legendary New York DJ and nightlife curator Bill Coleman takes over the decks for a special Pride-themed Silent Disco. Guests receive wireless headphones and dance beneath the stars on Lincoln Center’s massive outdoor dance floor while choosing between music channels and celebrating LGBTQ+ community, dance culture, and Pride.

Poison (35mm)
2026-06-28 16:00 - 18:00 | Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35 Ave, Astoria, NY, 11106, United States
A landmark of the New Queer Cinema movement, Todd Haynes’s Poison returns to the big screen in a rare 35mm presentation. Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, the 1991 film shattered conventions with its bold exploration of desire, outsider identity, and the social stigma surrounding queer lives during the AIDS crisis. Nearly 35 years later, it remains one of the most influential LGBTQ+ independent films ever made.

Tongues Untied
2026-06-28 14:00 - 17:00 | Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35 Ave, Astoria, NY, 11106, United States
Few films have had a greater impact on Black queer representation than Tongues Untied, Marlon Riggs’s groundbreaking 1989 documentary-poem that gives voice to the experiences of Black gay men in America. Blending personal testimony, spoken word, music, performance, and documentary footage, Riggs created a work that is at once joyful, angry, intimate, and revolutionary.

Queering the Collection
2026-06-26 19:00 - 20:00 | Whitney Museum, 99 Gansevoort Street, New York, New York, 10014, United States
The Whitney Museum invites visitors to explore its collection through an LGBTQ+ lens during this special after-hours gallery program. Queering the Collection examines how artists have challenged traditional ideas about gender, sexuality, identity, and self-expression throughout American art history.
Led by museum educators, the tour highlights works that resonate with queer experiences while uncovering stories that are often overlooked in conventional interpretations of art. Participants will encounter artists whose work directly addresses LGBTQ+ themes alongside pieces that reveal broader questions about belonging, visibility, and cultural change.
Rather than presenting queer history as separate from American art, the program demonstrates how LGBTQ+ perspectives have always been woven into the nation’s creative and cultural landscape. The result is a fresh way of engaging with familiar works while discovering new connections between art and identity.
As Pride Month celebrations continue across New York City, this program offers a thoughtful alternative to traditional festivities by centering artistic expression and cultural history. Visitors will leave with a deeper understanding of how queer narratives have shaped American art and how museums can create space for more inclusive interpretations of their collections.

John Waters Discusses Hairspray & Desperate Living with Ricki Lake
2026-06-26 18:00 - 19:30 | Barnes & Noble Union Square, 33 East 17th Street, New York, NY, 10003, United States
Cult filmmaker John Waters joins actor Ricki Lake for an evening celebrating two of the most beloved works in Waters’s remarkable career: Hairspray and Desperate Living. The conversation offers audiences an opportunity to hear firsthand stories from two artists whose collaborations helped reshape independent cinema and queer culture.
Few filmmakers have had a greater influence on LGBTQ+ art and popular culture than Waters. Over the course of several decades, he transformed camp, outsider perspectives, and transgressive humor into an unmistakable cinematic style that inspired generations of queer creators. His films challenged social norms while celebrating individuality, misfits, and self-expression.
Ricki Lake, who made her film debut as Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray, joins Waters to reflect on the enduring legacy of the film and its impact on audiences worldwide. Together, they will discuss filmmaking, cultural change, and the continued relevance of stories that champion acceptance and authenticity.
For fans of queer cinema, few events offer a better opportunity to hear from one of the medium’s most influential voices. Whether you’re discovering Waters for the first time or have spent decades quoting his films, this conversation promises to be a celebration of one of America’s true cultural originals.

Spotlight: Where the Boys Are
2026-06-25 19:30 - 21:30 | David Rubenstein Atrium, 1887 Broadway, New York, NY, 10023, United States
Part of Lincoln Center’s Pride programming, Where the Boys Are is an evening that celebrates queer identity, masculinity, friendship, desire, and self-expression through performance, storytelling, music, and conversation. The event brings together artists whose work explores what it means to be a man—and who gets to define masculinity—in contemporary culture.
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Leo Bar Happy Hour: Celebrate Pride Month
2026-06-25 18:00 - 20:30 | Asia Society, 725 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10021, United States
Celebrate Pride Month with an evening of cocktails, culture, community, and connection at Asia Society’s popular Leo Bar Happy Hour. This special LGBTQ+ edition of the museum’s monthly social gathering invites queer professionals, creatives, and allies to mingle in the beautiful Garden Court while enjoying after-hours museum access, art, and conversation. The event is organized in partnership with Asia Society’s Global Talent Initiatives and LGBTQ+ community partners.

Farewell My Concubine
2026-06-25 16:00 - 18:00 | Metrograph, 7 Ludlow Street, New York, NY, 10002, United States
Metrograph presents a screening of Farewell My Concubine, Chen Kaige’s sweeping masterpiece and one of the most celebrated films in the history of Chinese cinema. Winner of the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, the film follows the lives of two Peking Opera performers over the course of five decades, tracing their personal and artistic journeys against the backdrop of some of the most turbulent events of twentieth-century China.
Adapted from Lilian Lee’s acclaimed novel, the film centers on Cheng Dieyi, an orphan trained from childhood to perform dan roles, the female characters of traditional Peking Opera. As Dieyi grows into adulthood, his bond with fellow performer Duan Xiaolou deepens into a complicated and unspoken love that shapes the course of both their lives. Their relationship endures through war, revolution, political persecution, and profound social change, blurring the boundaries between performance and reality.
At the heart of the film is a remarkable performance by Leslie Cheung, whose portrayal of Dieyi remains one of the defining achievements of queer cinema. While Farewell My Concubine unfolds as an epic historical drama, it is also a deeply moving story of longing, identity, and desire. The film’s exploration of gender performance, same-sex devotion, and the emotional consequences of repression has made it a touchstone for LGBTQ+ audiences around the world.
This screening features the acclaimed 2023 restoration, scanned in 4K from the original 35mm negative. Carefully preserving the texture and visual richness of the original film, the restoration offers audiences an opportunity to experience one of world cinema’s greatest achievements in stunning detail on the big screen.

MoMA Pride Party
2026-06-24 18:30 - 22:00 | MoMA, 11 West 53rd Street, New York, NY, 10019, United States
MoMA invites visitors to experience the museum after hours during a special evening that combines art, music, socializing, and access to one of the world’s most celebrated collections of modern and contemporary art. The event transforms the museum into a lively gathering space where guests can explore exhibitions, enjoy refreshments, and connect with fellow art lovers.
Throughout the evening, visitors will have access to galleries featuring works by some of the most influential artists of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. In addition to the museum’s permanent collection, guests can explore current exhibitions and installations while enjoying a more relaxed atmosphere than a typical museum visit.
Events like MoMA Party have become increasingly popular among New York’s creative communities, offering opportunities to experience art in a social setting while meeting new people who share similar interests. For LGBTQ+ attendees, museum nights often serve as informal community spaces where art, culture, and conversation intersect.
Whether you’re a longtime museum member or a first-time visitor, MoMA Party offers a unique way to engage with contemporary culture in one of New York City’s most iconic institutions.

A Bigger Splash
2026-06-24 17:25 - 19:00 | Metrograph, 7 Ludlow Street, New York, NY, 10002, United States
Metrograph presents A Bigger Splash, Jack Hazan’s groundbreaking portrait of artist David Hockney and the creative world that surrounded him in the early 1970s. Neither a conventional documentary nor a traditional narrative film, Hazan’s innovative hybrid work blurs the boundaries between fact and fiction, creating an intimate and emotionally revealing portrait of one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century.
Filmed over several years, the movie follows Hockney as he navigates the end of his relationship with American artist and model Peter Schlesinger, who served as both muse and subject for some of Hockney’s most celebrated paintings. As personal heartbreak intersects with artistic creation, the film captures a pivotal period in the artist’s life, revealing how love, loss, and desire became inseparable from his work.
Beyond its value as an artist portrait, A Bigger Splash offers a rare glimpse into queer life at a moment of significant cultural change. Released in 1974, the film depicts gay relationships with a level of honesty and emotional complexity that was uncommon in cinema of the era. Rather than presenting queer characters through narratives of tragedy or shame, it portrays intimacy, friendship, and heartbreak as universal human experiences.
The film also serves as a remarkable document of artistic process. Viewers witness Hockney at work, observe the development of ideas that would influence his paintings, and gain insight into the social and creative networks that shaped his career. The result is both a fascinating historical record and a deeply moving story about love, creativity, and self-expression.
For LGBTQ+ audiences, A Bigger Splash remains an essential work of queer cinema, preserving a vibrant chapter of gay cultural history while offering one of the most nuanced portrayals of same-sex relationships in 1970s film.

The Devil's Backbone
2026-06-24 17:20 - 19:00 | Metrograph, 7 Ludlow Street, New York, NY, 10002, United States
Metrograph presents Guillermo del Toro’s The Devil’s Backbone, a haunting Gothic ghost story set against the backdrop of the Spanish Civil War. Released in 2001, the film is widely regarded as one of the director’s finest achievements, blending supernatural horror with political history, emotional depth, and a profound meditation on loss and memory.
Set in 1939 during the final days of the Spanish Civil War, the story follows Carlos, a recently orphaned boy who arrives at a remote school for the children of Republican loyalists. The isolated orphanage is overseen by a small group of adults struggling to maintain order as the country collapses around them. Soon after his arrival, Carlos becomes aware of mysterious occurrences and a spectral presence that seems connected to a tragedy hidden within the school’s walls.
While The Devil’s Backbone contains all the elements of a classic ghost story, its true power comes from the way del Toro uses horror to explore the lasting wounds of war. The film examines innocence lost, collective trauma, and the ghosts—both literal and metaphorical—that linger long after violence has ended. Through the eyes of a child, audiences witness a world shaped by fear, betrayal, and political upheaval.
The film also serves as a companion piece to del Toro’s later masterpiece Pan’s Labyrinth, sharing many of the same themes while establishing the director’s distinctive blend of fantasy, history, and emotional storytelling. Richly atmospheric and visually striking, it remains one of the most influential horror films of the twenty-first century.
Presented in a rare 35mm screening, this Metrograph presentation offers audiences the opportunity to experience del Toro’s haunting vision on film, where its shadowy imagery and meticulous craftsmanship can be fully appreciated.

The Watermelon Woman
2026-06-24 16:00 - 18:00 | Museum of the Moving Image, 36-01 35 Ave, Astoria, NY, 11106, United States
Cheryl Dunye’s groundbreaking 1996 debut feature remains one of the most important films in queer cinema history. Blending mockumentary, romance, and film history, The Watermelon Woman follows a young Black lesbian filmmaker researching a forgotten Black actress from the 1930s known only by the racist screen credit “The Watermelon Woman.” As she uncovers hidden stories of race, sexuality, and representation, she also navigates her own love life and identity.

Photo Op with Frankie Grande for SUPERGAY
2026-06-24 12:00 - 13:00 | Barnes & Noble Fifth Avenue, 555 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York, 10017, United States
In SUPERGAY, Frankie Grande shares stories from his life in the spotlight, his experiences growing up queer, navigating the entertainment industry, overcoming addiction, and embracing authenticity. The memoir combines humor, vulnerability, and personal reflection while celebrating self-expression and LGBTQ+ pride.
About Frankie Grande
Known for his work on Broadway, television, reality competition shows, and digital media, Frankie Grande has become a prominent LGBTQ+ voice and advocate. Throughout his career, he has used his platform to promote visibility, acceptance, mental health awareness, and LGBTQ+ rights.
Why We Love It
Celebrity memoir events often attract devoted fans, but this one feels especially meaningful during Pride season. Frankie Grande’s story centers queer joy, resilience, and authenticity, making this more than just a book signing—it’s a celebration of living openly and unapologetically.
Perfect For

LGBTQ+ readers
Fans of Frankie Grande
Pride Month attendees
Memoir lovers
Pop culture enthusiasts
Anyone looking for an uplifting queer event

Frankie Grande: SUPERGAY
2026-06-23 15:00 - 16:00 | Strand Bookstore, 828 Broadway, New York, NY, 10003, United States
Join entertainer, activist, and author Frankie Grande at Strand Book Store for a celebration of his debut memoir, SUPERGAY. Known for his infectious energy, advocacy work, and unapologetic authenticity, Grande shares the personal stories behind his journey through fame, family, recovery, and queer self-discovery in this candid new memoir.
In SUPERGAY, Frankie Grande opens up about his life in the public eye, his experiences growing up as a queer kid, his relationship with family, struggles with addiction and recovery, and his path toward embracing his most authentic self. Equal parts heartfelt, humorous, and inspiring, the memoir celebrates the power of living openly and finding joy in who you are.
About Frankie Grande
Frankie Grande is a performer, producer, television personality, and LGBTQ+ advocate whose career spans Broadway, reality television, music, and digital media. Over the years, he has become a visible champion for queer representation, mental health awareness, and LGBTQ+ equality.
Why We Love It
Book events are always more fun when the author has a larger-than-life personality, and Frankie Grande certainly delivers. Beyond the celebrity appeal, SUPERGAY offers a sincere and uplifting story about resilience, recovery, and embracing queer identity without apology.
Perfect For

LGBTQ+ readers
Fans of Frankie Grande
Memoir enthusiasts
Pride Month audiences
Pop culture lovers
Anyone seeking an uplifting queer story

Lan Yu
2026-06-14 16:30 - 18:30 | Asia Society, 725 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10021, United States
A landmark of queer Asian cinema, Lan Yu returns to the big screen at Asia Society as part of its ongoing film programming. Directed by Hong Kong filmmaker Stanley Kwan, the 2001 drama tells the deeply moving story of a young architecture student and a wealthy businessman whose relationship unfolds against the backdrop of a rapidly changing China. Widely regarded as one of the greatest LGBTQ+ films from Asia, Lan Yu remains a powerful exploration of love, class, identity, and the cost of emotional vulnerability.
