# GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Film – Limited Release

The GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Film – Limited Release is an annual award that honors films that received a limited release for excellence in the depiction of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) characters and themes. It is one of several categories of the annual GLAAD Media Awards, which are presented by GLAAD—an American non-governmental media monitoring organization—at ceremonies held primarily in New York City and Los Angeles between March and May.
The award was first given as Outstanding Independent Film at the 7th GLAAD Media Awards in 1996 to The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love, where a clear distinction was made between films that received a limited release versus a wide release. It would be retitled to its current name during the following year. Previously, The Wedding Banquet was given a Vito Russo Film Award at the 5th GLAAD Media Awards in 1994, in a separate category from Outstanding Studio Film. GLAAD considers both The Wedding Banquet and The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love as part of this category category. Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cinema, during the ceremonies in 2021 and 2022, the category also included films supposed to receive a theatrical release, but ended up airing on television or streaming services instead. Starting with the 2023 ceremony, due to the reorganization of the categories, this award now excludes streaming films.
For a film to be eligible, it must be released by a recognized film distribution company and play for paid admission in Los Angeles for seven consecutive days. Limited release is defined by a combination of criteria such as the numbers of screens, budget, and visibility. The award is given to the film and may be accepted by any of the producers, directors, writers, or actors. Limited-release films selected by GLAAD are evaluated based on four criteria: "Fair, Accurate, and Inclusive Representations" of the LGBT community, "Boldness and Originality" of the project, significant "Impact" on mainstream culture, and "Overall Quality" of the project.
GLAAD monitors mainstream media to identify which films will be nominated, while also issuing a call for entries that encourages media outlets to submit films for consideration. By contrast, in order for films created by and for LGBT audiences to be considered for nomination, they must be submitted after the call for entries. Winners are determined by a plurality vote by GLAAD staff and its board, Shareholders Circle members, volunteers and affiliated individuals. As of 2023, the award has been given to 31 films. At the 35th GLAAD Media Awards in 2024, the award was given to Monica, distributed by IFC Films.

## Winners and nominees

Initially, GLAAD only revealed the winners at press releases, with the awards being given during the ceremonies. Starting with the 8th GLAAD Media Awards in 1997, the nominees in all categories were made public, with the winners being revealed during the ceremonies.
Table key :
| ‡ | Indicates the winner |

### 1990s

1990s winners and nominees :
| Award year | Film | Distributor | Ref(s). |
| 1994 (5th) | The Wedding Banquet ‡ | The Samuel Goldwyn Company | |
| 1996 (7th) | The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love ‡ | Fine Line Features | |
| 1997 (8th) | Beautiful Thing ‡ | Sony Pictures Classics | [2] [16] |
| 1997 (8th) | Antonia's Line | First Look Studios | [2] [16] |
| 1997 (8th) | Costa Brava | DTK | [2] [16] |
| 1997 (8th) | French Twist | Miramax | [2] [16] |
| 1997 (8th) | It's My Party | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer | [2] [16] |
| 1997 (8th) | Stonewall | Strand Releasing | [2] [16] |
| 1998 (9th) | Ma vie en rose (My Life in Pink) ‡ | Sony Pictures Classics | [2] [17] [18] |
| 1998 (9th) | All Over Me | Fine Line Features | [2] [17] [18] |
| 1998 (9th) | Bent | Goldwyn Films | [2] [17] [18] |
| 1998 (9th) | Different for Girls | First Look Studios | [2] [17] [18] |
| 1998 (9th) | Lilies | Alliance Atlantis | [2] [17] [18] |
| 1999 (10th) | High Art ‡ | October Films | [2] [19] |
| 1999 (10th) | The Hanging Garden | G2 Films | [2] [19] |
| 1999 (10th) | Steam: The Turkish Bath | Strand Releasing | [2] [19] |
| 1999 (10th) | Velvet Goldmine | Miramax | [2] [19] |

### 2000s

2000s winners and nominees :
| Award year | Film | Distributor | Ref(s). |
| 2000 (11th) | Boys Don't Cry ‡ | Fox Searchlight Pictures | [20] [21] |
| 2000 (11th) | All About My Mother | Warner Bros. | [20] [21] |
| 2000 (11th) | Better Than Chocolate | Trimark Pictures | [20] [21] |
| 2000 (11th) | Edge of Seventeen | Strand Releasing | [20] [21] |
| 2000 (11th) | Show Me Love | Sonet Film | [20] [21] |
| 2001 (12th) | The Broken Hearts Club ‡ | Sony Pictures Classics | [22] [23] |
| 2001 (12th) | Aimée & Jaguar | Zeitgeist Films | [22] [23] |
| 2001 (12th) | Before Night Falls | Fine Line Features | [22] [23] |
| 2001 (12th) | Urbania | Lionsgate Films | [22] [23] |
| 2002 (13th) | Hedwig and the Angry Inch ‡ | Fine Line Features | [24] [25] |
| 2002 (13th) | Big Eden | Wolfe Video | [24] [25] |
| 2002 (13th) | Nico and Dani | Teodora Film | [24] [25] |
| 2002 (13th) | Punks | None | [24] [25] |
| 2002 (13th) | Songcatcher | Lionsgate Films | [24] [25] |
| 2003 (14th) | Kissing Jessica Stein ‡ | Fox Searchlight Pictures | [26] [27] |
| 2003 (14th) | 8 Women | Focus Features | [26] [27] |
| 2003 (14th) | Borstal Boy | Strand Releasing | [26] [27] |
| 2003 (14th) | His Secret Life | Strand Releasing | [26] [27] |
| 2003 (14th) | Y tu mamá también | IFC Films | [26] [27] |
| 2004 (15th) | Yossi & Jagger ‡ | Strand Releasing | [28] [29] |
| 2004 (15th) | Die, Mommie, Die! | Sundance Film Series | [28] [29] |
| 2004 (15th) | Gasoline | Strand Releasing | [28] [29] |
| 2004 (15th) | Madame Satã | Wellspring Media, Inc. | [28] [29] |
| 2004 (15th) | Mambo Italiano | Samuel Goldwyn Films | [28] [29] |
| 2005 (16th) | Bad Education ‡ | Sony Pictures Classics | [3] [30] |
| 2005 (16th) | Bear Cub | TLA Releasing | [3] [30] |
| 2005 (16th) | Blue Gate Crossing | Strand Releasing | [3] [30] |
| 2005 (16th) | Brother to Brother | Wolfe Releasing | [3] [30] |
| 2005 (16th) | The Mudge Boy | Strand Releasing / Showtime | [3] [30] |
| 2006 (17th) | Transamerica ‡ | The Weinstein Company | [31] [32] |
| 2006 (17th) | Beautiful Boxer | Regent Releasing / here! Films | [31] [32] |
| 2006 (17th) | Mysterious Skin | TLA Releasing | [31] [32] |
| 2006 (17th) | Saving Face | Sony Pictures Classics | [31] [32] |
| 2006 (17th) | Walk on Water | Samuel Goldwyn Films | [31] [32] |
| 2007 (18th) | Quinceañera ‡ | Sony Pictures Classics | [33] [34] |
| 2007 (18th) | The History Boys | Fox Searchlight Pictures | [33] [34] |
| 2007 (18th) | Imagine Me & You | Fox Searchlight Pictures | [33] [34] |
| 2007 (18th) | Shortbus | ThinkFilm | [33] [34] |
| 2007 (18th) | Summer Storm | Regent Releasing | [33] [34] |
| 2008 (19th) | The Bubble ‡ | Strand Releasing | [35] [36] |
| 2008 (19th) | Dirty Laundry | Codeblack Entertainment | [35] [36] |
| 2008 (19th) | Itty Bitty Titty Committee | Pocket Releasing | [35] [36] |
| 2008 (19th) | Nina's Heavenly Delights | Regent Releasing | [35] [36] |
| 2008 (19th) | Whole New Thing | Picture This! Entertainment | [35] [36] |
| 2009 (20th) | Noah's Arc: Jumping the Broom ‡ | Logo Films | [37] [38] |
| 2009 (20th) | Shelter ‡ | Regent Releasing | [37] [38] |
| 2009 (20th) | The Edge of Heaven | Strand Releasing | [37] [38] |
| 2009 (20th) | Save Me | First Run Features | [37] [38] |
| 2009 (20th) | XXY | Film Movement | [37] [38] |

### 2010s

2010s winners and nominees :
| Award year | Film | Distributor | Ref(s). |
| 2010 (21st) | Little Ashes ‡ | Regent Releasing | [3] [39] |
| 2010 (21st) | Casi Divas | Maya Entertainment | [3] [39] |
| 2010 (21st) | The Country Teacher | Film Movement | [3] [39] |
| 2010 (21st) | Phoebe in Wonderland | ThinkFilm | [3] [39] |
| 2010 (21st) | The Secrets | Monterey Media | [3] [39] |
| 2011 (22nd) | I Love You Phillip Morris ‡ | Roadside Attractions | [40] [41] |
| 2011 (22nd) | Howl | Oscilloscope Pictures | [40] [41] |
| 2011 (22nd) | La Mission | Screen Media Ventures | [40] [41] |
| 2011 (22nd) | Patrik, Age 1.5 | Regent Releasing | [40] [41] |
| 2011 (22nd) | Undertow | Wolfe Releasing | [40] [41] |
| 2012 (23rd) | Pariah ‡ | Focus Features | [42] [43] |
| 2012 (23rd) | Circumstance | Roadside Attractions | [42] [43] |
| 2012 (23rd) | Gun Hill Road | Motion Film Group | [42] [43] |
| 2012 (23rd) | Tomboy | Rocket Releasing | [42] [43] |
| 2012 (23rd) | Weekend | Sundance Selects | [42] [43] |
| 2013 (24th) | Any Day Now ‡ | Music Box Films | [44] [45] |
| 2013 (24th) | Keep the Lights On | Music Box Films | [44] [45] |
| 2013 (24th) | Mosquita y Mari | Wolfe Releasing | [44] [45] |
| 2013 (24th) | Musical Chairs | Paladin | [44] [45] |
| 2013 (24th) | North Sea Texas | Strand Releasing | [44] [45] |
| 2014 (25th) | Concussion ‡ | The Weinstein Company | [46] [47] |
| 2014 (25th) | Geography Club | Breaking Glass Pictures | [46] [47] |
| 2014 (25th) | Out in the Dark | Breaking Glass Pictures | [46] [47] |
| 2014 (25th) | Reaching for the Moon | Wolfe Releasing | [46] [47] |
| 2014 (25th) | Yossi | Strand Releasing | [46] [47] |
| 2015 (26th) | Lilting ‡ | Strand Releasing | [48] [49] |
| 2015 (26th) | Dear White People | Lionsgate | [48] [49] |
| 2015 (26th) | Life Partners | Magnolia Pictures | [48] [49] |
| 2015 (26th) | The Way He Looks | Strand Releasing | [48] [49] |
| 2015 (26th) | Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? | Film Movement | [48] [49] |
| 2016 (27th) | Tangerine ‡ | Magnolia Pictures | [50] [51] |
| 2016 (27th) | 52 Tuesdays | Kino Lorber | [50] [51] |
| 2016 (27th) | Appropriate Behaviour | Gravitas Ventures | [50] [51] |
| 2016 (27th) | Boy Meets Girl | Wolfe Video | [50] [51] |
| 2016 (27th) | Drunktown's Finest | Nehst Studios | [50] [51] |
| 2017 (28th) | Other People ‡ | Amazon Studios / Magnolia Pictures | [52] [53] |
| 2017 (28th) | The Handmaiden | CJ Entertainment | [52] [53] |
| 2017 (28th) | Naz & Maalik | Wolfe Video | [52] [53] |
| 2017 (28th) | Spa Night | Strand Releasing | [52] [53] |
| 2017 (28th) | Those People | Wolfe Video | [52] [53] |
| 2018 (29th) | A Fantastic Woman ‡ | Sony Pictures Classics | [54] [55] |
| 2018 (29th) | BPM (Beats per Minute) | The Orchard | [54] [55] |
| 2018 (29th) | God's Own Country | Samuel Goldwyn Films / Orion Pictures | [54] [55] |
| 2018 (29th) | Thelma | The Orchard | [54] [55] |
| 2018 (29th) | The Wound | Kino Lorber | [54] [55] |
| 2019 (30th) | Boy Erased ‡ | Focus Features | [56] [57] |
| 2019 (30th) | 1985 | Wolfe Releasing | [56] [57] |
| 2019 (30th) | Can You Ever Forgive Me? | Fox Searchlight | [56] [57] |
| 2019 (30th) | Disobedience | Bleecker Street | [56] [57] |
| 2019 (30th) | The Favourite | Fox Searchlight | [56] [57] |
| 2019 (30th) | Hearts Beat Loud | Gunpowder & Sky | [56] [57] |
| 2019 (30th) | A Kid Like Jake | IFC Films | [56] [57] |
| 2019 (30th) | The Miseducation of Cameron Post | FilmRise | [56] [57] |
| 2019 (30th) | Saturday Church | Samuel Goldwyn Films | [56] [57] |
| 2019 (30th) | We the Animals | The Orchard | [56] [57] |

### 2020s

2020s winners and nominees :
| Award year | Film | Distributor | Ref(s). |
| 2020 (31st) | Rafiki ‡ | Film Movement | [58] [59] |
| 2020 (31st) | Adam | Wolfe Releasing | [58] [59] |
| 2020 (31st) | Brittany Runs a Marathon | Amazon Studios | [58] [59] |
| 2020 (31st) | Canary (Kanarie) | Breaking Glass Pictures | [58] [59] |
| 2020 (31st) | End of the Century | The Cinema Guild | [58] [59] |
| 2020 (31st) | The Heiresses | 1844 Entertainment | [58] [59] |
| 2020 (31st) | Pain and Glory | Sony Pictures Classics | [58] [59] |
| 2020 (31st) | Portrait of a Lady on Fire | Neon | [58] [59] |
| 2020 (31st) | Sócrates | Breaking Glass Pictures | [58] [59] |
| 2020 (31st) | This Is Not Berlin | Samuel Goldwyn Films | [58] [59] |
| 2021 (32nd) | The Boys in the Band ‡ | Netflix | [60] [61] |
| 2021 (32nd) | Ammonite | Neon | [60] [61] |
| 2021 (32nd) | And Then We Danced | Music Box Films | [60] [61] |
| 2021 (32nd) | The Half of It | Netflix | [60] [61] |
| 2021 (32nd) | I Carry You With Me | Sony Pictures Classics | [60] [61] |
| 2021 (32nd) | Kajillionaire | Focus Features | [60] [61] |
| 2021 (32nd) | The Life Ahead | Netflix | [60] [61] |
| 2021 (32nd) | Lingua Franca | ARRAY / Netflix | [60] [61] |
| 2021 (32nd) | Monsoon | Strand Releasing | [60] [61] |
| 2021 (32nd) | The True Adventures of Wolfboy | Vertical Entertainment | [60] [61] |
| 2022 (33rd) | Parallel Mothers ‡ | Sony Pictures Classics | [62] [63] |
| 2022 (33rd) | Breaking Fast | Vertical Entertainment | [62] [63] |
| 2022 (33rd) | Gossamer Folds | Indican Pictures | [62] [63] |
| 2022 (33rd) | The Obituary of Tunde Johnson | Wolfe Video | [62] [63] |
| 2022 (33rd) | Plan B | Hulu | [62] [63] |
| 2022 (33rd) | Port Authority | Momentum Pictures | [62] [63] |
| 2022 (33rd) | Shiva Baby | Utopia | [62] [63] |
| 2022 (33rd) | Swan Song | Magnolia Pictures | [62] [63] |
| 2022 (33rd) | Tu Me Manques | Dark Star Pictures | [62] [63] |
| 2022 (33rd) | Twilight's Kiss | Strand Releasing | [62] [63] |
| 2023 (34th) | The Inspection ‡ | A24 | [64] [65] |
| 2023 (34th) | Anaïs in Love | Magnolia Pictures | [64] [65] |
| 2023 (34th) | Benediction | Roadside Attractions | [64] [65] |
| 2023 (34th) | Death and Bowling | Wolfe Releasing | [64] [65] |
| 2023 (34th) | Firebird | Roadside Attractions | [64] [65] |
| 2023 (34th) | Girl Picture | Strand Releasing | [64] [65] |
| 2023 (34th) | My Policeman | Prime Video | [64] [65] |
| 2023 (34th) | Neptune Frost | Kino Lorber | [64] [65] |
| 2023 (34th) | The Swimmer | Strand Releasing | [64] [65] |
| 2023 (34th) | Wendell & Wild | Netflix | [64] [65] |
| 2024 (35th) | Monica ‡ | IFC Films | [66] [67] |
| 2024 (35th) | Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe | Blue Fox Entertainment | [66] [67] |
| 2024 (35th) | The Blue Caftan | Strand Releasing | [66] [67] |
| 2024 (35th) | Blue Jean | Magnolia Pictures | [66] [67] |
| 2024 (35th) | How to Blow Up a Pipeline | Neon | [66] [67] |
| 2024 (35th) | Joyland | Oscilloscope | [66] [67] |
| 2024 (35th) | L’immensità | Music Box Films | [66] [67] |
| 2024 (35th) | Our Son | Vertical Entertainment | [66] [67] |
| 2024 (35th) | Passages | Mubi | [66] [67] |
| 2024 (35th) | Summoning Sylvia | The Horror Collective | [66] [67] |