The history of LGBTQ+ representation in Hollywood is traced from early coded portrayals and damaging stereotypes to more open and nuanced depictions. Narrator Lily Tomlin reflects on cinema’s role in shaping—and distorting—queer visibility.

An in depth investigation into the subtext of a century of cinema, The Celluloid Closet is full of sensitive observations about the portrayal of homosexuality in Hollywood. Full of interviews with actors such as Tom Hanks and Susan Sarandon, this documentary is as entertaining as it is insightful.