It Used to be Witches: Under the Spell of Queer Cinema

by Ryan Gilbey

Playfully blending personal memoir, criticism and candid new interviews with filmmakers from across the LGBTQ+ spectrum, Ryan Gilbey's engaging and dynamic It Used to be Witches is a non-chronological treasure-hunt through queer cinema past and present. Andrew Haigh (All of Us Strangers), Cheryl Dunye (The Watermelon Woman), Isabel Sandoval (Lingua Franca) and Bruce LaBruce (No Skin Off My Ass) are among the directors who reveal how queer artists use film to express their most personal truths-and to challenge, defy and outrage a world that would rather they didn't exist.


That world might look rainbow-coloured from some angles, with the likes of Brokeback Mountain, Call Me By Your Name, Moonlight and Portrait of a Lady on Fire winning awards and acclaim. But as queer and trans people find themselves increasingly under attack, It Used to Be Witches asks whether cinema can be an effective weapon of resistance and change, and celebrates an outlaw spirit which refuses to die.

Genres: Nonfiction, LGBT, Film

405 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 3, 2025

Reviews

[Bert · Rating 4 out of 5]

At times a little pretentious, and at times a little limited to European queer cinema (I would’ve loved to see Australian and Canadian queer cinema explored), but overall, quite good. It’s clearly going for an academic approach, which means it’s very well written, thoughtfully put together, and impressively researched. I just found myself wishing for a bit more of the fun and casual energy that comes so naturally when talking queer films with friends, because this leans a little too… serious?

Still, even with those quibbles, I genuinely enjoyed it, and it left me excited to see what this author does next. Great work.

[Ned · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. While I thought I was well-versed in queer film, this book introduced me to important films I’d missed. With movies I was already familiar with, Gilbey offered fresh and rare readings. He’s a careful and thoughtful viewer and helps me appreciate films that I love even more. It’s my most recommended book this year.