We love seeing ourselves on screen, and these films gave us the representation we needed
BY HEBE HANCOCK, IMAGE BY DANCING GIRL
Cinema has long been a mirror – and for queer women, that reflection has often been distorted, erased, or only allowed to exist in subtext. But over the decades, a growing wave of lesbian filmmakers and stories have pushed into the spotlight, reshaping the cultural landscape and showing the world what lesbian love, desire, rage, joy (and excellent tailoring) really looks like.
From ground-breaking indies to festival favourites and unapologetically bold art house hits, here are 10 lesbian films that didn’t just tell our stories – they helped define cinema itself.
Desert Hearts (1985, USA)
Director: Donna Deitch
One of the first mainstream American films to portray a lesbian relationship without tragedy, Desert Hearts follows a buttoned-up professor and a free-spirited ranch worker in 1950s Nevada. The chemistry is off the charts, the storytelling tender, and the happy(ish) ending? Ground-breaking for its time.
Portrait Of A Lady On Fire (2019, France)
Director: Céline Sciamma
This slow-burn romance between a painter and her subject is a masterclass in longing, silence, and stolen glances. Every frame looks like a painting. It’s sexy, devastating, and proof that lesbian love stories deserve cinematic grandeur.
The Watermelon Woman (1996, USA)
Director: Cheryl Dunye
Part love story, part mockumentary, part political statement – Cheryl Dunye’s debut is the first feature film directed by an out Black lesbian. It cleverly rewrites film history, following a young filmmaker unearthing a forgotten Black actress from 1930s cinema who might have been queer herself.
But I’m A Cheerleader (1999, USA)
Director: Jamie Babbit
Bright pink, deeply satirical, and unexpectedly heartfelt – this camp classic stars Natasha Lyonne as a teen sent to conversion therapy who discovers, surprise, she’s not alone. RuPaul plays a reformed “straight coach,” and the film’s message of queer joy and resistance is loud, proud and iconic.
Rafiki (2018, Kenya)
Director: Wanuri Kahiu
Banned in Kenya for its “positive depiction of homosexuality”, Rafiki is a gorgeous, vibrant love story between two girls in Nairobi. Despite the risks, Kahiu insisted on celebrating joy and tenderness in queer love – making this a vital work of resistance and representation.
Blue Is The Warmest Color (2013, France)
Director: Abdellatif Kechiche
This Palme d’Or winner caused a stir for its explicit sex scenes and behind-the-scenes controversy, but there’s no denying its impact. While some have critiqued the male gaze, the emotional arc of a young woman discovering her identity and sexuality struck a powerful chord with global audiences.
Saving Face (2004, USA)
Director: Alice Wu
Before The Half Of It, Alice Wu gave us Saving Face – a sweet, funny rom-com about a Chinese-American lesbian and her relationship with her very traditional mother. It’s a feel-good classic with serious depth, touching on family, shame, and the joy of living out loud.
Mulholland Drive (2001, USA)
Director: David Lynch
OK, this one’s more subtextual – and extremely confusing – but Mulholland Drive has become a cult classic within lesbian film circles. Naomi Watts and Laura Harring’s tangled relationship, dreamlike tension, and queer undertones have made it a darkly seductive puzzle of desire and identity.
Aimee & Jaguar (1999, Germany)
Director: Max Färberböck
Based on a true story, this heartbreaking WWII-era film follows the love affair between Lilly, a German officer’s wife, and Felice, a Jewish resistance fighter. The stakes couldn’t be higher, and the chemistry is undeniable. It’s a devastating reminder of queer love under siege – and its fierce persistence.
Love Lies Bleeding (2024, USA)
Director: Rose Glass
One of the boldest and bloodiest lesbian films of the decade, Love Lies Bleeding blends queer desire with noir grit and gym-rat surrealism. Kristen Stewart stars as Lou, a reclusive gym manager who falls hard for an ambitious bodybuilder (Katy O’Brian). It’s messy, raw, and unapologetically queer.
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