It’s Lesbian Visibility Week!!!
In 2023, I first shared with you 10 Lesbian Films to Watch for Lesbian Visibility Week. So if you missed that post or are curious to know which lesbian films I recommended first, go check it out – and then come back to this one. I’ll wait!
You’re still here – or you didn’t check out my other post? That’s fine too! After all, all of those first ten lesbian films are ones I’ve already featured on the site. I’ve even reviewed many of them. So this time, I want to focus on different lesbian films – ones that you may not be aware of.
But first, let’s take a step back… what IS Lesbian Visibility Week?
Lesbian Visitbility Week is an entire week dedicated to celebrating lesbians and promoting solidarity with all LGBTQ women and non-binary folks in the queer community. Interestingly, it was originally celebrated during July in West Hollywood from 1990-92. However in 2020, backed by Diva magazine, the weeklong celebration was moved to coincide with Lesbian Visibility Day, an annual celebratory day in the UK for lesbians on April 26 that itself dates back to 2008.
Today, both Lesbian Visibility Day and the entire Lesbian Visibility Week takes the two-fold goal of celebrating lesbians, while also raising awareness to the discrimination still faced by lesbians. Which unfortunately still comes from within the LGBTQ community. In fact, many are unaware that the reason that Lesbian comes first in LGBTQ is to help commemorate all of the lesbians who stepped up to take care of gay men during the AIDS crisis.
Lesbians are a key part of the Queer community!
But here are Queer Film Reviews, I celebrate ALL of us on the LGBTQ spectrum. Yet I also understand that I’m not always the best spokesperson for our Lesbian sisters, partying because I’m a cis gay man. But it’s important that those of us who have a voice MUST stand beside those who don’t, especially during special days like Lesbian Viability Week. When part of our community suffers, we all do. So it’s vital that we ALL stand together and support each other, especially when current politics are working against some of us.
Thankfully, there are a handful of folks who ARE the perfect role models to look towards for answers, the ideal support, and more. Some of the notable folks include LesbianVisibilityWeek.com in the UK, The Pink News, and of course – Diva Magazine itself.
Definitely go check out these amazing resources to learn more about Lesbian Visibility Week!
But you came here for some Lesbian FILMS to celebrate Lesbian Visibility Week, didn’t you!
Well, you’re in luck! I’ve gathered together 10 MORE Lesbian films & shorts for you to enjoy this week. (Or really at anytime you’re looking for a good lesbian or sapphic film!)
But before we get to the films though, I want to draw attention to an amazing queer streaming platform where you can WATCH lesbian and other sapphic films:
Lesflicks is a lesbian-owned, independent platform who provide authentic sapphic stories – the largest collection of them among ALL streaming platforms! Many of the lesbian films, shorts, and series on Lesflicks are also EXCLUSIVE to Lesflicks – you won’t find them anywhere else. They offer a a couple different plans for you to choose from, but their true value is the amazing sapphic content found on their platform.
And yes, the button below is an affiliate link which gives me an extra free month – BUT I still pay my own membership! They’re truly worth it. But don’t take my word, go check them out and then decide. (Hint: you can find FIVE of the films below on Lesflicks!)
Watch/Stream/Rent HUNDREDS of
Sapphic Films, Shorts, & Series on Lesflicks!
While Lesflicks is really the best queer streamer to find lesbian and other sapphic films, however there’s a few other streamers where you can find them. Amazon’s Prime Video has a decent selection in their collection, as does Apple TV+. If you’re interested in ALL of the queer streamers, you can grab my ebook: “Choose Your First Queer Streaming Platform!” for just $9!
Anyways, enough of my rambling – you want Lesbian films! So scroll through this list of 10 MORE Lesbian Films to Watch for Lesbian Visibility Week. (Click on the film’s title or the film poster to find out more about each film, including where to watch the Lesbian film.)
10 10 MORE Lesbian Films to Watch for Lesbian Visibility Week
“After they accidentally injure their high school’s star quarterback Jeff by hitting him with a car, transforming them from awkward outcasts to overnight celebrities, best friends PJ and Josie concoct an elaborate lie about having spent time in a juvenile correction facility over the summer, and with their equally-awkward friend Hazel and teacher Mr G, they start a self-defense club for women in an attempt to lose their virginities to Brittany and Isabel, their cheerleader crushes.”
“Bottoms” was a rather interesting queer film. It’s obviously queer, focusing on two lesbian high school girls and their sex drive. And while the final ending wraps everything up nicely as intended, the path to get there wasn’t as nice. I could not connect with either of our two lead girls, and the jocks – atrocious. Some of the other girls in the club were interesting characters though. It’s not too hard to see what the writers were going for and I could even see similar elements from other great films. But even when you drag the leads through hell for their redemption, you have to get the interest of the viewer. “Bottoms” did not do that for me, but perhaps you’ll enjoy it.
Watch “Bottoms” on Prime Video, and Apple TV+.
“A 2008 romance film adapted from a same name novel about a London-based Jordanian of Palestinian descent, Tala, who is preparing for an elaborate wedding. A turn of events causes her to have an affair and subsequently fall in love with another woman, Leyla, a British Indian.”
As the saying goes, “opposites attract”. That is ironically both true and false in the lesbian film, “I Can’t Think Straight”! It’s false because the heart of our story is a blossoming romance between two women; thus a same-sex relationship. However, it’s still true because of the juxtaposition of two different cultures. Tala is a Christian from Jordan with Palestinian descent; Layla is an Indian Muslim living in London. Two different cultures and ancestry, yet amid all of this they still fall in love. There’s something quite romantic about that! Is this queer film perfect? No, as while it touches on their cultural and religious differences, the more political discussion is left out in favor of a lesbian coming out romance. However one thing is certain: “I Can’t Think Straight” is an entertaining lesbian romance.
Watch “I Can’t Think Straight” on Amazon, Prime Video, Apple TV+, Diva Box Office, Lesflicks, Here TV, Tello Films, Tubi, WolfeOnDemand, and YouTube.
“With her laundromat teetering on the brink of failure and her marriage to wimpy husband Waymond on the rocks, overworked Evelyn Wang struggles to cope with everything, including a tattered relationship with her judgmental father Gong Gong and Joy, her daughter. And, as if facing a gloomy midlife crisis weren’t enough, Evelyn must brace herself for an unpleasant meeting with an impersonal bureaucrat: Deirdre, the shabbily dressed IRS auditor. However, as the stern agent loses patience, an inexplicable multiverse rift becomes an eye-opening exploration of parallel realities. Will Evelyn jump down the rabbit hole? How many stars are there in the universe? Can weary Evelyn fathom the irrepressible force of possibilities, tap into newfound powers, and prevent an evil entity from destroying the thin, countless layers of the unseen world?”
There is no question: this 7 Oscar-winning film most certainly is a queer action film! Now, it took me a lot longer than I’d like to admit before I finally watched “Everything Everywhere All At Once”. And I will also note that it took me a while before the story really drew me in because the concept is a bit out there. But that quirkiness and bold stance of jumping universes to save the world is also exactly why I loved this film! And what a talented cast – not only did everyone portray their main character, but also how their characters would act in extremely different universes. If you haven’t seen “Everything Everywhere All At Once” yet – what are you waiting for?!
Watch “Everything Everywhere All At Once” on Amazon, Prime Video, Apple TV+, Netflix, Paramount+, and YouTube
“Adèle’s life is changed when she meets Emma, a young woman with blue hair, who will allow her to discover desire, to assert herself as a woman and as an adult. In front of others, Adele grows, seeks herself, loses herself, finds herself.”
“La vie d’Adèle”, better known by it’s English title, “Blue Is The Warmest Colour” (which is also the title of the graphic novel the film is based from), is quite an interesting film! Winning the Palm d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 2013, this lesbian film evocatively shows Adèle’s trials and tribulations with love and romance in a utterly realistic manner. However while the film is simply captivating at times, often due to the real and almost raw emotions director Abdellatif Kechiche draws out of our leading actresses, the film has a few flaws. I can overlook some of these due to the realism created, but the worst offender is that it’s three hours long! There is a certain style of filmmaking that requires a slow paced film to adequately tell the story, and one that doesn’t often sit well with American audiences. Even I was glad when it was over! However, if you’re looking for an award-winning lesbian film and don’t mind a marathon to watch it, “Blue Is The Warmest Colour is certainly a great choice to watch.
Watch “Blue Is The Warmest Colour” on Amazon, Prime Video, and Apple TV+.
“A Cree filmmaker and her white partner document their pregnancy and journey to parenthood. From the search for an Indigenous donor and midwife to their concerns about raising a child as an interracial queer couple, the joy of having a child together gives them the courage to overcome any obstacle.”
“êmîcêtôsêt: Many Bloodlines” is quite a special queer short film. Winner of HotDocs 2020 Best Canadian Short Documentary, this queer short film is simply stunning. This self produced and self written story follows Stefani and Theola on their journey through pregnancy and into parenthood. It’s real and authentic, especially because Theola fully embraces and wants to include her Cree heritage. Together they candidly talk about themselves whilst finding their way through IVF as a lesbian couple. Woven together with candid footage and interviews, this short documentary is heartfelt and is treated with the same love and affection I’m sure they will give to their baby. Go watch it today – it’s that good!
Watch “êmîcêtôsêt: Many Bloodlines” on YouTube.
“Like mother like daughter. Punk rock one-hit wonder Dani Destroyer and her punk-playing daughter Kat (played by a real-life mother-son duo) transform their angst into lyrics, as they navigate intimacy issues and the tendency to ruin perfect moments in their search for true love. This music-inflected movie centers around two twisty love triangles.”
Normally I’m not a fan of queer films where folks try to pull the cinematic triple hat-trick of director, writer, and lead – but I was pleasantly surprised with “Stupid For You”! Jude Klassen is not only a talented musician, but shows her skill in writing and directing as well. And it runs in the family because Kat, the daughter of Jude’s character Dani, is actually played by Jude’s son. Although I must confess that while Mikhael Klassen-Kay does a great job playing Kat, I was rather surprised upon learning a male actor portraying a female role in 2022. Despite that, the songs actually are a high point in a storyline that is rather similar to many other high school romance storylines. Overall, “Stupid For You” is an enjoyable lesbian film to watch!
Watch “Stupid For You” on Prime Video, Apple TV+, Tubi, and Vimeo.
“It’s the most romantic day of the year, and Nina has a special dinner planned for Lizzie, her girlfriend of three years. Nina intends to propose to Lizzie, but little does she know, Lizzie has some big news of her own…”
When both the film’s title and the synopsis alludes to a proposal, we know what’s about to happen! However, the synopsis also throws us a curveball, making us ask the question: what is Lizzie’s surprise? While it was a surprise, I sadly wasn’t that impressed. Despite being quite confused with Lizzie’s mid-proposal surprise and the effect it has on the moment, “Popping The Question” is still a cute lesbian film. Khorasani remarked in her director’s statement that her goal is to bring a much-needed positive representation to LGBTQ+ stories. And while I always feel a bit awkward when I’m not a huge fan of a film I’ve been asked to review, I fully support her intention. We NEED more queer representation in cinema and media, including the sapphic stories that Khorasani and the team behind Lesflicks promote.
“Rachel is a nice girl who is going to marry Hector (‘Heck’), her longtime boyfriend. While she is working on the wedding preparations she meets wedding-florist Luce and unexpectedly falls in love with her and discovers what having love feelings for another woman is like. Rachel meets Luce a few times, hiding it from her family, especially her mother Tessa who contracted Luce. At the same time Heck tries to win his in-laws’ affections, especially father-in-law Ned, Rachel embarks on marriage and daily life with her husband, but her love and passion for Luce causes a secret affair between them and doubts in Rachel about the life she wants for herself.”
I had “Imagine Me & You” down as.a queer holiday film, but when I finally watched it – it’s not remotely a holiday film. I did some digging and discovered this was due to someone years ago making that claim that because it’s a British film, it automatically has a holiday charm. Not sure about that! However this lesbian film definitely has charm. The storyline is a slight twist of the “just realised I’m marrying the wrong person” trope in that Rachel doesn’t even meet Luce until it’s nearly her wedding day. Their romantic feelings develop over time, after Rachel and Hector are married. It gets a bit messy, as any newfound romantic interest & affair will create! However, the ending is so cute and romantic that it’ll melt your heart. This is definitely a cute queer film to watch!
Watch “Imagine Me & You” on Prime Video, Apple TV+, and YouTube.
“The story of two British teens, Nick Nelson and Charlie Spring, at an all-boys grammar school. Charlie, a high-strung, openly gay overthinker, and Nick, a cheerful, soft-hearted rugby player, one day are made to sit together in class. Their friendship quickly becomes something more for openly gay Charlie, but he initially does not believe he has a chance with Nick, but love works in surprising ways, with Nick more interested in Charlie than either of them realized. Heartstopper is about love, friendship, and loyalty. It encompasses all the small stories of Nick and Charlie’s lives that together make something larger.”
What’s left to say about “Heartstopper” that hasn’t already been said or seen with your own two eyes? This cute teenage coming of age queer series is that perfect blend of visibility for budding adolescents while also captivating those of us long past those teenage years. Based on the comics by author Alice Oseman, she has reworked her story into the series format – and even expanded on some of the side stories! It truly is a queer series that’s worth watching, and is relatively quick to watch as well.
Watch “Heartstopper” on Netflix.
“Stef Foster, a dedicated police officer, and her partner Lena Adams, a school vice principal, have built a close-knit, loving family with Stef’s biological son from a previous marriage, Brandon, and their adopted twins, Mariana and Jesus. Their lives are disrupted in unexpected ways when Lena meets Callie, a hardened teen with an abusive past who has spent her life in and out of foster homes. Lena and Stef welcome Callie and her brother, Jude, into their home thinking it’s just for a few weeks, until a more permanent placement can be found. But life has something else in store for the Fosters.”
TV series are challenging to review because it takes a lot longer to watch them than the typical film. As such, I haven’t seen The Fosters yet – and not sure when I’ll be able to watch it. Reviews of this queer TV series seem to generally be positive, especially because this series features a lesbian couple to a family of children of all ages. Although now that the series is over, some have remarked that they overlooked many of the other queer identities. Have you seen it yet? Let me know your thoughts, if you have!
Watch “The Fosters” on Prime Video, Apple TV+, Disney+, Freeform, Hulu, and YouTube.
Final Thoughts
So what did you think about these 10 MORE Lesbian Films to Watch for Lesbian Visibility Week that I’ve chosen? Were there a few new ones in the list? Or did I include your favorite Lesbian film? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
(Or you could Pin your favorite lesbian film to your Pinterest account to save for later!)
But remember that these are only 10 more out of the MANY lesbian films out there. I haven’t been able to add them all to my Queer Film, Short, & Series Database – let alone review many of them. And dont’ forget, Lesflicks is a GREAT place to start your search, as they focus on sapphic films.
But if I still haven’t include your favorite lesbian film anywhere on the site, let me know HERE. I will certainly add your favorite lesbian film to my Database – and perhaps give it a full review.
