DIVA caught up with filmmaking duo Emmalie & Hansof about this exciting new rom-com
BY ELLA GAUCI, IMAGES PROVIDED
It’s no secret that there are very few films about queer parenthood. There are even less about queer fertility journeys through IUI and IVF. That’s where Emmalie El Fadli and Hansof Waller’s new project You And Me Makes Three comes in. In this new short film, couple Alannah and Amara decide that they want to have a baby. Cue a whole new world of sperm donors, DIY insemination, and awkward conversations. Trust us, you don’t want to miss this one.
We caught up with Emmalie and Hansof to find out more about this new exciting film.
What inspired You And Me Makes Three? Was there a particular real-life story at its heart?
Hansof: I had the idea over seven years ago, which was inspired by the lack of same-sex representation on screen, particularly around seeing sapphic couples trying for a baby. I felt it was something I would personally love to see and believed others would too.
Emmalie: Over the years, we did a lot of research, including speaking to couples who had been through similar journeys to our characters, to make sure it was as accurate as possible. The biggest thing we learned though, is that everyone’s journey is very different. We’ve personally not been through this experience ourselves, but Hansof hopes to someday have children so she’s learned a lot through this process. She’s very much like our character Amara though: she wants kids, but doesn’t want to physically give birth. So in a way, the story came from a very personal place, even if it isn’t directly our lived experience.
Why was it important for you to tell this story?
Both: We felt it was important because what you can’t see, you can’t be. Positive representation matters, and the more stories like this are told, the more normalised they become. Queer families deserve to be shown with warmth, honesty, and joy, not just through struggles or stereotypes. It also highlights a very real inequality that still exists today. In England alone, female same-sex couples are often required to self-fund between six to 12 rounds of IUI, costing up to £25,000, just to prove infertility before they can access NHS-funded IVF. Meanwhile, heterosexual couples are typically only asked to show they’ve been trying to conceive naturally for up to two years. That imbalance highlights how far we still have to go before things feel truly equal.
Tell us about your previous work and what made you want to get into filmmaking?
Both: The reason we got into filmmaking in the first place was because we were both tired of the “Bury Your Gays” trope and wanted to bring more positive sapphic representation to people’s screens. And when we did finally get a sapphic couple at the centre of a show, we would get one season and then a cancellation, no matter how popular it was or how many views it got. Our favourite film is Imagine Me & You and it showed us how special it could be to see queer women at the heart of a warm, funny love story, and we’ve been trying to recreate that feeling ever since, so we took matters into our own queer hands.
In these troubling times for LGBTQIA+ rights, why is queer filmmaking so important?
Emmalie: I think queer filmmaking has always been important, since the dawn of cinema. It helps our community be seen. Hansof and I’s mission since starting nearly 10 years ago has only ever been to create positive sapphic representation, because we felt that our happy endings were extremely under-represented in the media at the time. We want our screens to be filled with our joyful lives!
Hansof: Queer filmmaking is so important, especially in times like these, because our stories deserve to be seen and heard properly. When LGBTQIA+ rights are being challenged, representation becomes more than just entertainment; it becomes visibility, understanding, and a way to remind people that we exist and that our lives matter. More than anything, queer filmmaking helps preserve our stories, celebrate our communities, and push things forward.
It’s so rare to see such frank and honest conversations about fertility treatments on screen. Why was it important to show the hardships as well as the joy? What do you hope people learn?
Both: For us, it was always about showing both sides, because that’s what real life looks like. It’s not just one feeling the whole time. But the most important thing was keeping it positive and focusing on the couple and their relationship. That was always the centre of the story. Fertility treatments can be really difficult a lot of the time, and we didn’t want to ignore that, but we also didn’t want it to take over or define the story. What we hope people take away is that even with the ups and downs, there can still be a lot of love and joy, and that sapphic stories can be full of warmth and happiness.
For those in the same position as Alannah and Amara, what advice would you give them?
Both: Take things at your own pace and do what feels right for you as an individual or as a couple. There’s no one “right” way to start a family, and every journey is very different, so try not to compare yours to anyone else’s too much. Do your research, ask lots of questions, and don’t be afraid to seek support. Having a strong support system can make all the difference.
You can find out more about You And Me Makes Three on Instagram @youandmemakesthreefilm.
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