Arts & Entertainment
‘Call Me By Your Name’ wins big at Dorian Awards
Greta Gerwig, ‘Get Out’ also receive top honors
(Screenshot via YouTube.)
GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics revealed the winners of its ninth annual Dorian Awards, which recognizes achievements in film and television, on Wednesday.
“Call Me By Your Name” earned Film of the Year while Timothée Chalamet received Film Performance of the Year for his role as Elio. Chalamet also was honored as the Dorian’s Rising Star.
Greta Gerwig was named Best Director for her coming-of-age film “Lady Bird” and the critically acclaimed film “Get Out” won for Screenplay of the Year.
For television, HBO’s hit series “Big Little Lies” won TV Drama of the Year and fantasy series “American Gods” won Unsung TV Show.
Meryl Streep was honored as the Dorian Awards’ Timeless Star. Previous receipets have included Jane Fonda, Dame Angela Lansbury and Sir Ian McKellen.
The winners will be celebrated at GALECA’s annual Winners Toast on Feb. 24 in Beverly Hills.
FILM OF THE YEAR
“BPM (Beats Per Minute)” – The Orchard
“Call Me By Your Name” – Sony Pictures Classics (WINNER)
“Get Out” – Universal
Lady Bird” – A24
The Shape of Water – Fox Searchlight
DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR (FILM OR TELEVISION)
Sean Baker, “The Florida Project” – A24
Guillermo del Toro, “The Shape of Water” – Fox Searchlight
Greta Gerwig, “Lady Bird” – A24 (WINNER)
Luca Guadagnino, “Call Me By Your Name” – Sony Pictures Classics
Christopher Nolan, “Dunkirk” – Warner Bros.
Jordan Peele, “Get Out” – Universal
BEST PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR — ACTRESS
Sally Hawkins, “The Shape of Water” – Fox Searchlight (WINNER)
Frances McDormand, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” – Fox Searchlight
Margot Robbie, “I, Tonya” – Neon
Saoirse Ronan, “Lady Bird” – A24
Daniela Vega, “A Fantastic Woman” – Sony Pictures Classics
BEST PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR – ACTOR
Nahuel Perez Biscayart, “BPM (Beats Per Minute)” — The Orchard
Timothée Chalamet, “Call Me By Your Name” – Sony Pictures Classics (WINNER)
James Franco, “The Disaster Artist” – A24
Daniel Kaluuya, “Get Out” – Universal
Gary Oldman, “Darkest Hour” – Focus Features
SUPPORTING FILM PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR — ACTRESS
Mary J. Blige, “Mudbound” – Netflix
Tiffany Haddish, “Girls Trip” – Universal
Allison Janney, “I, Tonya” – Neon
Laurie Metcalf, “Lady Bird” – A24 (WINNER)
Michelle Pfeiffer, “mother!” – Paramount
SUPPORTING FILM PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR — ACTOR
Willem Dafoe, “The Florida Project” – A24
Armie Hammer, “Call Me By Your Name”- Sony Pictures Classics
Richard Jenkins, “The Shape of Water” – Fox Searchlight
Sam Rockwell, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” – Fox Searchlight
Michael Stuhlbarg, “Call Me By Your Name” – Sony Pictures Classics (WINNER)
LGBTQ FILM OF THE YEAR
“BPM (Beats Per Minute)” — The Orchard
“Battle of the Sexes” – Fox Searchlight
“Call Me By Your Name “- Sony Pictures Classics (WINNER)
“A Fantastic Woman” – Sony Pictures Classics
“God’s Own Country” – Samuel Goldwyn Films
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM OF THE YEAR
“BPM (Beats Per Minute)” — The Orchard (WINNER)
“A Fantastic Woman” – Sony Pictures Classics
“First They Killed My Father” – Netflix
“The Square” – Magnolia Pictures
“Thelma” – The Orchard
SCREENPLAY OF THE YEAR (ORIGINAL OR ADAPTED)
James Ivory, “Call Me By Your Name” – Sony Pictures Classics
Jordan Peele, “Get Out” – Universal (WINNER)
Greta Gerwig, “Lady Bird” – A24
Guillermo del Toro, Vanessa Taylor, “The Shape of Water” – Fox Searchlight
Martin McDonagh, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” – Fox Searchlight
DOCUMENTARY OF THE YEAR
(theatrical release, TV airing or DVD release)
“Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story” – Zeitgeist/Kino Lorber
“The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson” – Netflix
“Faces Places” – Cohen Media Group (WINNER)
“Jane” – National Geographic/Abramorama
“Kedi” – Oscilloscope
VISUALLY STRIKING FILM OF THE YEAR
(honoring a production of stunning beauty, from art direction to cinematography)
“Blade Runner 2049” – Warner Bros.
“Call Me By Your Name” – Sony Pictures Classics
“Dunkirk” – Warner Bros.
“The Shape of Water” – Fox Searchlight (WINNER)
“Wonderstruck” – Amazon
UNSUNG FILM OF THE YEAR
“BPM (Beats Per Minute)” – The Orchard
“Beach Rats” – Neon
“God’s Own Country” – Samuel Goldwyn Films (WINNER)
“Professor Marston and the Wonder Women” – Annapurna
“Wonderstruck” – Amazon
CAMPY FLICK OF THE YEAR
“Baywatch” – Paramount
“The Disaster Artist” – A24
“The Greatest Showman” – 20th Century Fox
“I, Tonya” – Neon
“mother!” – Paramount (WINNER)
TV DRAMA OF THE YEAR
“Big Little Lies” – HBO – HBO (WINNER)
“The Crown” – Netflix
“Feud: Bette and Joan” – FX
“The Handmaid’s Tale” – Hulu
“Twin Peaks: The Return” – Showtime
TV COMEDY OF THE YEAR
“Better Things” – FX
“GLOW” – Netflix
“The Good Place” – NBC
“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” – Amazon (WINNER)
“Will & Grace” – NBC
TV PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR – ACTRESS
Clare Foy, “The Crown” – Netflix
Nicole Kidman, “Big Little Lies” – HBO (WINNER)
Jessica Lange, “Feud: Bette and Joan” – FX
Elisabeth Moss, “The Handmaid’s Tale” – Hulu
Reese Witherspoon, “Big Little Lies” – HBO
TV PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR — ACTOR
Aziz Ansari, “Master of None” – Netflix
Sterling K. Brown, “This Is Us” – NBC
Jonathan Groff, “Mindhunter” – Netflix
Kyle MacLachlan, “Twin Peaks: The Return” – Showtime (WINNER)
Alexander Skaarsgård, “Big Little Lies” – HBO
TV CURRENT AFFAIRS SHOW OF THE YEAR
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee – TBS (WINNER)
“Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” – HBO
“Late Night with Seth Meyers” – NBC
“The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” – CBS
“The Rachel Maddow Show” – MSNBC
TV MUSICAL PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
Lady Gaga, “God Bless America,” “Born This Way,” etc., Super Bowl LI – Fox
Kate McKinnon, “(Kellyanne) Conway!” “Saturday Night Live” – NBC (WINNER)
Brendan McCreary, John Mulaney, “I’m Gay,” “Big Mouth” – Netflix
Pink, “Beautiful Trauma,” American Music Awards – ABC
Sasha Velour, “So Emotional,” “RuPaul’s Drag Race” – VH1
LGBTQ SHOW OF THE YEAR
“Difficult People” – Hulu
“RuPaul’s Drag Race” – VH1 (WINNER)
“Sense8” – Netflix
“Transparent”– Amazon
“Will & Grace” – NBC
UNSUNG TV SHOW OF THE YEAR
“American Gods” – Starz (WINNER)
“Dear White People” – Netflix
“Difficult People” – Hulu
“At Home with Amy Sedaris” – TruTV
“The Leftovers” – HBO
CAMPY TV SHOW OF THE YEAR
“Dynasty”
“Feud: Betty and Joan” (WINNER)
“Riverdale”
“RuPaul’s Drag Race”
“Will & Grace”
‘WE’RE WILDE ABOUT YOU!’ RISING STAR AWARD
Timothée Chalamet (WINNER)
Harris Dickinson
Tiffany Haddish
Daniel Kaluuya
Daniela Vega
WILDE WIT OF THE YEAR AWARD
(honoring a performer, writer or commentator whose observations both challenge and amuse)
Samantha Bee
Stephen Colbert
Kate McKinnon (WINNER – TIE)
John Oliver
Jordan Peele (WINNER – TIE)
WILDE ARTIST OF THE YEAR
(honoring a truly groundbreaking force in the fields of film, theater and/or television)
Guillermo del Toro
Greta Gerwig
Patty Jenkins
David Lynch
Jordan Peele (WINNER)
Celebrity News
My evening with Madonna
Gay icon headlined the World Pride Music Festival in Amsterdam
Editor’s note: International News Editor Michael K. Lavers and Photo Editor Michael Key will be on assignment in the Netherlands through Aug. 10. They will be covering World Pride in Amsterdam.
AMSTERDAM — Madonna and 6,000 of her closest friends celebrated World Pride at Amsterdam’s AFAS Live concert hall early Sunday morning. I was fortunate enough to be one of them.
Madonna last Wednesday nearly broke the internet when she said on social media in Dutch that “I got somethin’ I wanna talk about,” referring to an opening line in “Danceteria,” one of the tracks on her “Confessions II” album that has received rave reviews since its July 2 release. The track has been on near constant replay on my playlist since I first heard it.
— Madonna (@Madonna) July 28, 2026
MISTR — a telehealth platform that offers free access to PrEP, Doxy PEP, STI testing, and long-term care that has organized Madonna’s Club Confessions shows in the U.S. and the U.K. — later confirmed the rampant speculation. I woke up on July 30 to an email in my inbox from MISTR and the World Pride Music Festival PR team that said I was on the press list.
Madonna was indeed going to headline the World Pride Music Festival that Jake Resnicow and Insomniac produced, and I was going to be there. OMFG!!!!
The gay icon had one more surprise in store.
The Dutch internet on Saturday once again broke over speculation that Kylie Minogue was going to appear alongside Madonna. I was getting ready to leave our hotel in Amsterdam on Saturday night when I saw a video of the two of them together.
“Madonna is now teasing Kylie Minogue on her social media … she may be one of her ‘special guests’ tonight,” I wrote in a text to Washington Blade Editor Kevin Naff at 8:46 p.m.
“Have fun! This is turning into the gayest concert ever,” he responded.
I arrived at AFAS Live shortly before 11 p.m. My press contact walked me and two other Dutch journalists into the venue’s cavernous main room known as the Black Box. We made small talk for a few minutes before I started to walk around and listen to Josh Harrison who was on the decks.
Madonna was scheduled to take the stage at 1:30 a.m., but she is known for being late — she is Madonna and she does what she wants. Hayla, a British singer, and Bebe Rexha are among those who performed ahead of Madonna. Thousands of sweaty men — including a group of Australians next to me who were eagerly awaiting Kylie’s anticipated appearance — packed the Black Box and were dancing, anticipating what was to come.
MISTR CEO Tristan Schukraft at one point came on stage and declared Madonna was indeed in the building. The moment for which we were all eagerly waiting finally came shortly before 2:30 a.m.
“Mother is here and this is gay heaven,” said Madonna when she took the stage.
Stuart Price, who produced her “Confessions on a Dance Floor” album in 2005, manned the decks during Madonna’s set.
She opened it with “I Feel So Free” from “Confessions II.” Madonna then sang “Bring Your Love” and “Danceteria” to which this reporter — and everyone else — sang along.
Madonna then teased a surprise before she began to perform “Love Sensation.” Kylie soon appeared on stage. It was nearly too much for my fellow partygoers from Australia. It was indeed the gayest concert ever!
Madonna and Kylie performed “Love Sensation” together. They then sang “Hung Up” and “Sorry” from “Confessions on a Dance Floor” to round out the set that ended shortly after 3 a.m.
Madonna and I share the same birthday — Aug. 16 — and I would like to think she and Kylie gave me an early birthday present. In all seriousness though, it was an amazing night for me and for everyone else who was fortunate enough to be there.
“On the dance floor I feel so free,” says Madonna in the opening of “I Feel So Free.”
For those few precious hours at AFAS Live I did not think about the Trump-Vance administration and the myriad ways it is destroying the U.S. I did not think about the National Guard troops deployed to D.C. I did not think about the pointless wars that continue to ravage Ukraine and other countries around the world. I simply lost myself on the dance floor and celebrated an icon who has always stood with my community.
Thank you, Madonna.
The Petal Release Party and Drag Show was held at Spark Social on Friday, July 31. Performers included Tiara-Missou, Labianna and Darcy de la Cuadra.
(Washington Blade photos by Landon Shackelford)
Celebrity News
Madonna headlines World Pride Music Festival in Amsterdam
Kylie Minogue made surprise appearance alongside gay icon
AMSTERDAM — Madonna on Sunday headlined the final night of the World Pride Music Festival in Amsterdam.
The gay icon took the stage shortly before 2:30 a.m. local time (8:30 p.m. ET on Saturday) during Club Confessions, a set that MISTR, a telehealth platform that offers free access to PrEP, Doxy PEP, STI testing, and long-term HIV care, organized.
“Mother is here and this is gay heaven,” said Madonna when she took the stage inside Amsterdam’s AFAS Live concert hall that can hold up to 6,000 people.
Stuart Price, who produced Madonna’s 2005 “Confessions on a Dance Floor” album and “Confessions II,” which debuted on July 2, DJed the set.
Kylie Minogue made a surprise appearance. She and Madonna performed a new remix of “Love Sensation” from “Confessions II.”
(Washington Blade video by Michael K. Lavers)
“Throughout my career, I’ve always supported efforts to fight HIV and AIDS, and that fight begins with education and access,” said Madonna in a MISTR press release. “With MISTR, (CEO) Tristan (Schukraft) is expanding access to HIV prevention and sexual healthcare for everyone. Through this work, he’s helping preserve and strengthen LGBTQ+ spaces while investing in the communities and culture that have long sustained us.”
Minogue in an Instagram post thanked Madonna, Price, Schukraft, and MISTR.
Madonna appeared at The Abbey in West Hollywood, Calif., in April. Madonna in June celebrated Pride month with a pop-up performance in New York’s Times Square.
Jake Resnicow and Insomniac produced the World Pride Music Festival that also featured Bebe Rexha and Paris Hilton, among others.
“Pride has always been about bringing our community together,” said Resnicow. “At a moment when too many people are being told to hide or make themselves smaller, gathering openly, joyfully, and without apology matters more than ever. I couldn’t be prouder of what this festival brought to life in Amsterdam — one dance floor, completely free.”
Buttigieg indicates he may run for president in 2028
Remembering Elliot Leonard, generous visionary who helped LGBTQ communities thrive
My evening with Madonna
PHOTOS: Petal Release Party
Madonna headlines World Pride Music Festival in Amsterdam
PHOTOS: Lambda Legal in the Pines
Calendar: July 31-August 6
Taiwan’s government has failed to update process to change gender markers on ID documents
Come showcase your singing, poetry talent
