‘The Wound’, Trevor Noah and ‘Call Me by Your Name’ among GLAAD nominees

Two South African-linked nominees are included in the selection of film, television and music releases being recognised by GLAAD’s 2018 LGBTQ media awards.

Actress Trace Lysette (Transparent) and actor Wilson Cruz (Star Trek: Discovery, 13 Reasons Why) announced the nominees from Park City, Utah on Friday during the Sundance Film Festival.

South Africans play a significant role in two of the nominations. The acclaimed locally-made production The Wound has been nominated for Outstanding Film – Limited Release.

Releasing next month in South Africa under the title Inxeba (The Wound), the film is the story of Xolani, a lonely closeted Xhosa factory worker who joins the men of his community in the mountains of the Eastern Cape to initiate a group of teenage boys into manhood. There, he confronts the man whom he has secretly loved for years.

Others in the category include BPM (about the AIDS epidemic in France in the 1990s), A Fantastic Woman (a Chilean drama about the plight of a transgender woman), God’s Own Country (a love story between two men set in rural Yorkshire) and Thelma (a Norwegian supernatural horror-thriller film about a woman who develops powers after she falls in love with a friend).

The other South African connection this year is Trevor Noah, whose Daily Show has been nominated for Outstanding Talk Show Episode. The episode dealt with transgender veterans responding to President Trump’s attempt to ban transgender personnel in the US military.

The Outstanding Film – Wide Release – category includes Golden Globe winner Lady Bird and Golden Globe nominees Call Me By Your Name and The Shape of Water, as well as Battle of the Sexes and Professor Marston and the Wonder Women.

Television shows that have been acknowledged for their LGBTQ themes or characters include Modern Family, Transparent, Will & Grace, The Handmaid’s Tale, Sense8, American Horror Story: Cult, Feud: Bette and Joan and When We Rise.

GLAAD announced a Special Recognition Award for Jay-Z’s song and music video Smile featuring his mother Gloria Carter who used the song to come out as a lesbian. A Special Recognition Award was also given to the animated short film In A Heartbeat.

For the first time this year, GLAAD will honor LGBTQ-inclusive content in Kids & Family Programming. The inaugural round of nominees includes Andi Mack, Doc McStuffins for its “The Emergency Plan” episode, Danger & Eggs for its “Chosen Family” episode, The Loud House, and Steven Universe.

A number of these shows were recently banned from screening on the DSTV pay TV satellite service in Africa for being “part of a wider scheme by the media to promote the Lesbian Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBTQ) agenda among children through TV programs.”

The annual GLAAD Media Awards honours media for their fair, accurate, and inclusive representations of the LGBTQ community and the issues that affect their lives.

“What people see in the media has a powerful impact on how they treat others and the GLAAD Media Awards raise the bar for media to tell LGBTQ stories that accelerate acceptance,” commented GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis.

“This year’s nominees showcase stories that span races, genres, ages, and geographies, challenge misconceptions, and broaden understanding and acceptance of LGBTQ people across the globe,” she said.

The first 2018 GLAAD Media Awards ceremony (one of two this year) will take place in Los Angeles on April 12. Below are the nominees in some of the major categories. For a full list, click here.

Outstanding Film – Wide Release
Battle of the Sexes
Call Me by Your Name
Lady Bird
Professor Marston and the Wonder Women
The Shape of Water

Outstanding Film – Limited Release
BPM
A Fantastic Woman
God’s Own Country
Thelma
The Wound

Outstanding Comedy Series
The Bold Type
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend
Modern Family
One Day at a Time
One Mississippi
Superstore
Survivor’s Remorse
Transparent
Will & Grace

Outstanding Drama Series
Billions
Doubt
The Handmaid’s Tale
Nashville
Sense8
Shadowhunters
Star
Star Trek: Discovery
This Is Us
Wynonna Earp

Outstanding TV Movie or Limited Series
American Horror Story: Cult
Feud: Bette and Joan
Godless
Queers
When We Rise

Outstanding Kids & Family Programming
Andi Mack
“Chosen Family” Danger & Eggs
“The Emergency Plan” Doc McStuffins
Steven Universe
The Loud House

Outstanding Reality Program
Gaycation with Ellen Page
I Am Jazz
RuPaul’s Drag Race
Survivor: Game Changers
The Voice

Outstanding Music Artist
Miley Cyrus, Younger Now
Halsey, Hopeless Fountain Kingdom
Honey Dijon, The Best of Both Worlds
Kehlani, SweetSexySavage
Kelela, Take Me Apart
Perfume Genius, No Shape
Sam Smith, The Thrill of It All
St. Vincent, MASSEDUCTION
Wrabel, We Could Be Beautiful
Kesha, Rainbow

Outstanding Daily Drama
The Bold and The Beautiful
Days of Our Lives
The Young & the Restless

Outstanding Talk Show Episode
“Australia Marriage Equality” Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
“Danica Roem” The Opposition with Jordan Klepper
“Laila and Logan Ireland, Transgender Military Couple” The Ellen DeGeneres Show
“Laverne Cox and Gavin Grimm” The View
“Trans Veterans React to Ban” The Daily Show with Trevor Noah