Are you ready for a movie marathon?
BY ELLA GAUCI, IMAGE BY SUMMIT ENTERTAINMENT
Happy International Lesbian Day! What better way to celebrate all the lesbians in your life than rewatching some of these classic lesbian films? Whether you’re more into horror or happy endings, these classic films have helped us feel seen for decades.
Thelma & Louise (1991)
Any throwback lesbian film session needs to include this classic! Starring Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon, Thelma & Louise sees the pair going on a brief fishing trip. However, things take a turn when the pair become fugitives of the law. Okay, the film isn’t explicitly lesbian. But by golly, it’s one of our favourites.
Fried Green Tomatoes (1991)
Mary Stuart Masterson and Mary-Louise Parker star in this moving tale of friendship and love set in the American South. Told through the memories of an elderly woman, we see Idgie and Ruth run a café, defy the small town’s rules and protect each other through thick and thin. Their bond is as romantic as it is powerful. It’s heartfelt, it’s Southern, and it absolutely deserves a spot on any marathon of old-school queer classics.
Fire (1996)
Shabana Azmi and Nandita Das light up the screen in this groundbreaking Indian drama. Two women, neglected by their husbands, slowly discover passion and freedom in one another’s arms. It was highly controversial when it first came out, but now it’s a landmark in lesbian cinema.
Foxfire (1996)
Angelina Jolie in her rebellious breakout role – need I say more? She plays Legs, a drifter who inspires a group of teenage girls to fight back against abuse and injustice. Their sisterhood grows into something electric, with all the messy intensity of first crushes and first revolutions. It’s gritty, it’s nineties, and it’s begging to be rediscovered in a late-night marathon.
The Hunger (1983)
Catherine Deneuve as a glamorous vampire, Susan Sarandon as the woman who falls under her spell and David Bowie caught in the middle. This gothic classic drips with eighties style, smoky atmosphere, and forbidden desire. It’s not just a vampire flick, it’s a sapphic fever dream. A must if you’re stacking up older cult favourites for the night.
Go Fish (1994)
This indie charmer put lesbian cinema firmly on the map in the nineties. Directed by Rose Troche, it follows a group of friends navigating dating, hookups, and the awkward magic of new crushes. Low-budget, black-and-white and totally endearing, it captures the energy of queer community at the time. Perfect to slot into a marathon of DIY classics.
The Incredibly True Adventure Of Two Girls In Love (1995)
Laurel Holloman and Nicole Ari Parker star in this sweet coming-of-age romance between a working-class tomboy and an upper-middle-class overachiever. The girls sneak around, fumble through first kisses and battle family expectations, all while falling head over heels. It’s goofy, heartfelt, and oh-so nineties. A marathon is incomplete without this gem.
Heavenly Creatures (1994)
Kate Winslet and Melanie Lynskey made their debuts in this dreamy, unsettling film based on a true story. Two schoolgirls in 1950s New Zealand become so obsessed with each other that they build a fantasy world – and when reality intrudes, things turn dark.
Set It Off (1996)
Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett, Vivica A. Fox and Kimberly Elise star as four friends who turn to bank robbery to escape lives stacked against them. Latifah’s character Cleo is a swaggering butch lesbian, iconic and unapologetic. What follows is a thrilling, emotional heist story about loyalty and survival.
But I’m A Cheerleader (1999)
Natasha Lyonne plays a peppy cheerleader whose parents send her to conversion therapy, only for her to meet Clea DuVall and discover who she really is. Bright colours, campy humour, and a killer cast – including RuPaul in shorts – make this one a cult favourite. No movie night of queer classics is complete without its pastel punch.
The Watermelon Woman (1996)
Cheryl Dunye wrote, directed, and starred in this mockumentary-style feature, playing a young Black lesbian filmmaker searching for the forgotten history of a Black actor from 1930s Hollywood. It’s funny, smart and groundbreaking, blending romance with archival detective work.
Bound (1996)
Gina Gershon and Jennifer Tilly smoulder in this neo-noir thriller from the Wachowskis. Gershon plays an ex-con, Tilly plays a mobster’s girlfriend, and together they plot to steal millions. Seduction, betrayal, and sizzling chemistry drive the film from start to finish. If you want suspense and steamy tension in your line-up, this is the one.
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