Out at the movies - Steven Paul Davies

Over the decades, gay cinema has reflected the community's journey from persecution to emancipation to acceptance. Politicised dramas like Victim in the 60s, The Naked Civil Servant in the 70s, and the AIDS cinema of the 80s have given way in recent years to films which celebrate a vast array of gay lifestyles. Gay films have undergone a major shift, from the fringe to the mainstream and 2005's Academy Awards were dubbed the 'Gay Oscars' with gongs going to Brokeback Mountain, Capote and Transamerica. This is the ultimate guide to the genre.