Dorian Awards proclaim ghostly gay tear-jerker All of Us Strangers ‘best LGBTQ+ film of the year’

Feb 27
Written by Marcus Wratten

Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal at a screening of All of Us Strangers.

Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal star in All of Us Strangers. (Getty/Karwai Tang)

Andrew Scott’s ghostly gay romance film All of Us Strangers is officially the best LGBTQ+ film of the past year, according to the Dorian Awards.

Helmed by Weekend director Andrew Haigh, All of Us Strangers stars Andrew Scott, 47, as Adam, a middle aged, depressed gay writer living in London. While attempting to write about his parents, who died three decades earlier, Adam travels back to his family home – only to find his parents still living there. Sort of.

Adam spends the next few weeks visiting their apparitions and talking to them about his childhood and his life now, including coming out to them as gay. Meanwhile, he sparks up an intense and intimate relationship with lonely neighbour, Harry (Paul Mescal).

At last night’s Dorian Awards (26 February), the tear-jerking movie was named both the Film of the Year and LGBTQ Film of the Year, as well as LGBTQ Screenplay of the Year.

The Dorian Awards are accolades given out by GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics, celebrating LGBTQ+ film and TV, and queer stars, trailblazers and creators.

This year marked 15 years since the first Dorian Awards, held in 2009. The name of the accolades is taken from Oscar Wilde’s seminal novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray.

Speaking about All of Us Strangers‘ win, GALECA President Walt Hickey said: “Twelve years ago, Andrew Haigh’s fresh and observant queer romance Weekend ruled our Dorians as well. So the fact that Strangers obviously touched many of our members’ hearts as well counts as sort of a sweet homecoming to our organisation.”

While All of Us Strangers ruled the Dorian Awards, there has been less praise for the critically acclaimed film from other big award ceremonies, with the Oscars snubbing it entirely.

At the BAFTAs earlier this month, the film was nominated for six awards – but took zero home. Leading actor Andrew Scott was not nominated in the Best Actor category, much to the fury of his fans.

Over the weekend (24 February), gay TV writer Russell T Davies theorised that Scott was snubbed and underrated because “he’s gay and very publicly and visibly gay”.

Other winners at the Dorian Awards included Lily Gladstone, who uses she/they pronouns and has described herself as “middle-gendered”, for her performance in Killers of the Flower Moon.

Kokomo City, which follows the lives of four, Black trans sex workers in New York and Georgia, won both the Documentary of the Year and LGBTQ Documentary of the Year accolades.

Rustin star Colman Domingo was named LGBTQIA+ Film Trailblazer of 2024, while Nyad and True Detective actress Jodie Foster was awarded the Timeless Star award.

Queer The Bear actress Ayo Edebiri, who has spent the first eight weeks of 2024 sweeping awards at the Golden Globes and Critics’ Choice Awards,, was named Rising Star for her performance in lesbian high school comedy, Bottoms.