May 23rd

 Blue Is the Warmest Color – French film shown at the Cannes Film Festival that unanimously won the Palme d’Or from the official jury and the FIPRESCI (Federation of International Film Critics) Prize. It’s the first film to have the Palme d’Or awarded to both the director and the lead actresses. The two actresses join director Jane Campion as the only women to have won the award. The film is a coming-of-age romantic drama that revolves around a French teenager who discovers desire and freedom when a blue-haired aspiring painter enter her life. The film stars Lea Seydoux and Adele Exarchopoulos and was directed by Abdellatif Kechiche.

Pride – British film released on this day in 2014 at the Cannes Film Festival. The film is based on a true story of a group of lesbian and gay activist who raised money to help families affected by the British miners’ strike in 1984. The film, written by Stephen Beresford and directed by Matthew Warchus, won the Queer Palm award.

05-23-2015 Ireland voted overwhelmingly to legalize gay marriage in the world’s first national vote on the issue. Ireland is the first country in the world to put marriage equality in their constitution and did so by popular mandate. Ireland is now a beacon of light to the rest of the world for liberty and equality for all.