This is one of those random ‘remember when that happened?’ moments when Ruby Rose and Christina Ricci got it on on-screen…
No really – this happened.
Back in 2013, a then semi-famous Australian model and MTV presenter, Ruby Rose, got her first film role.
The movie was Around the Block, starring Hollywood child star Christina Ricci.
And in the film the two smoking actresses get it on…
We’ll just leave this here for you. Thanks us later
All About E is one film that has garnered a lot of positive critical reception. Not only did the film land a spot on our list of the best films from the Cinema Diverse event but it also won the Chicago Great Gay Screenplay competition as well.
Also worth noting is the fact that All About E‘s writer/director Louise Wadley took part in the Outfest Scriptwriting Lab. So, now that you know the level of talent behind the film, I suppose you want to know ‘what’s it all about?’.
The best way to describe this one is ‘a gay Thelma & Louise‘. Indeed, although that iconic movie thrived on (and made its way into our hearts because of) subtext, All About E has got more than enough maintext to keep you warm at night. Its lead is the titular E, an Arabic Australian woman who hosts Spanish themed nights at a local gay club.
But when she wants to ditch her matador get up and host a night that celebrates her Lebanese background instead, racist boss Johnny gives her a giant, resounding ‘no’.
The morning after Johnny puts his foot down, E and her gay BFF Matt find that E accidentally brought home a whole bunch of cash with her and the two have plans to open up their own club.
Unfortunately, trouble soon comes when they discover that the money belongs to Johnny leading E to her ex-girlfriend Trish’s farm to hide out, vowing to make it right with her former partner.
With a synopsis like that, there’s clearly a lot to love about All About E. It’s a little bit funny, it’s got a little bit of romance and while we wouldn’t call it ‘gripping’ in the traditional sense, the drama surrounding the criminal antics are a huge draw as well.
What’s also positive is to hear Louise Wadley’s thinking behind the film, as she told Lesbian.com her inspiration:
The inspiration was born out of a deep frustration of not seeing my Australia represented on screen. Where is the multicultural world that is the reality of most Australian Cities ? You just don’t see it. We need to catch up with our story telling and our casting. Why not have a woman of color be the lead?
So her cultural background doesn’t have to be the whole story just as why not have lesbians in other roles in drama as just a fact and a part of their character not the reason for the whole story. So it isn’t a coming out story. It isn’t a story that is just about being Arabic Australian – it’s a beautiful story about finding yourself that’s also a road movie, a thriller and a love story.”
And on All About E‘s love scenes, the writer/director explains that
I wanted to show a beautiful love scene between two women that was both passionate and real but also one that was complex and told a story like all of our other scenes.”
All About E is now available via Wolfe Video.
Suffragette focuses on the story of infamous feminist icon Emmeline Pankhurst (Meryl Streep) and her friendship with Maud (Carey Mulligan), a working-class wife and mother who joins the Suffragette movement against her husband’s will.
The drama that tracks the story of the foot soldiers of the early feminist movement, women who were forced underground to pursue a dangerous game of cat and mouse with an increasingly brutal State.
These women were not primarily from the genteel educated classes, they were working women who had seen peaceful protest achieve nothing.
Radicalized and turning to violence as the only route to change, they were willing to lose everything in their fight for equality – their jobs, their homes, their children and their lives.
Maud was one such foot soldier. The story of her fight for dignity is as gripping and visceral as any thriller, it is also heart-breaking and inspirational.
The movie’s crew will be the first in history to be granted permission from Members of Parliament to shoot inside the Houses of Parliament.
Have you ever wondered what Cara Delevingne’s inner super-villain looks like?
Well wonder no more, as director David Ayer tweets the very first photo of Delevingne and her costars in character as the Suicide Squad.
Cast read through today! #SuicideSquad pic.twitter.com/yajjcB5aEb
— David Ayer (@DavidAyerMovies) April 9, 2015
Task Force X assembled and ready. #SuicideSquad pic.twitter.com/fEV7E1aPsm
— David Ayer (@DavidAyerMovies) May 3, 2015
Based on the DC Comic of the same name, Suicide Squad follows the adventures of a larger-than-life team of bad guys from popular DC franchises.
Delevingne plays Enchantress, who unlike the majority of the movie’s Squad lineup, is a morally ambiguous character; a schizophrenic with two distinct personalities, she can be a hero or villain depending on which side is in control of her magical abilities at any time — which can lead to problems when she switches in the middle of a mission.
Suicide Squad is the latest in a seemingly endless line of superhero movies that have been released recently, and there’s more to come – between now and 2020, Warner Bros plans to release ten more films based on characters from the DC Comics universe.
Clouds of Sils Maria is the hotly anticipated upcoming film drama written and directed by Olivier Assayas, and starring Juliette Binoche, Kristen Stewart, and Chloë Grace Moretz.
The Plot – Juliette Binoche headlines as Maria Enders, a luminous talent in early middle-age who once rose to fame playing 18-year-old Sigrid in a lauded lesbian drama. Now a new director wants to re-stage the play, this time casting Maria in the role of Helena, the bitter, brittle older lover. Maria is reluctant but the director insists. “Sigrid and Helena are one and the same person. And because you were Sigrid, only you can play Helena.” Enter Jo-Ann (Chloe Grace Moretz), a Hollywood starlet, fresh out of rehab o play Sigrid.
Yet, this story is not the focus of the film, the interest lies in the dynamics between Maria and Val (Kristen Stewart), the actor’s personal assistant. The relationship here is quite beautifully drawn, with Stewart again demonstrating what a terrific performer she can be away from the shadow of Twilight.
It is immediately apparent that these two women are close. Maria and Val love each other and live together, but their friendship has never been on an equal footing – and here is the twist….
In the year 1999 the worlds population hit 6 billion. There was a raging war in the Balkans. And the world prepared for the new millennium and the ever so scary millennium bug, which was set to cause wide scale disruption.
However, despite all of that – 1999 was year for mainstream Queer and lesbian cinema made it a significant mark. And as a teenager (discovering my sexual orientation), these films provided me with blanket of knowledge, insight and understanding. So, here is KitschMix’s list of of lesbian hits of 1999.
This film had it all, and it felt real. A romantic comedy movie shot in Vancouver and directed by Anne Wheeler, the film was focused on 2 young lesbians – Maggie (Karyn Dwyer) and Kim (Christina Cox), who meet, start a passionate romance, and move in together all in the same day (I said it was real). These 2 are not the only focus though, the next things Maggie’s well-meaning but naive mother Lila and her brother join the household. Soon after, Lila is befriended by Judy, a transsexual about to undergo a sex-change operation. Complications ensue as the conservative Lila learns the truth about Maggie, Judy, and their diverse group of friends.
This film was written and directed by Max Färberböck, and based upon Erica Fischer’s (de: Erica Fischer) book, chronicling the actual lives of Lilly Wust and Felice Schragenheim during that time period. It is 1943 as Allied bombs are pelting Berlin and Lilly Wust (Maria Schrader) is bringing up four children as her husband Gunther (Detlev Buck) is away fighting the war. When Lilly receives a love letter form an admirer who signs off as Jaguar she assumes it is from a man but is intrigued when she discovers that Felice Schragenheim (Maria Schrader) a local journalist is initiating the romance, a relationship forbidden in Germany, not just because it is a lesbian affair, but Felice is Jewish and works against Germany as a resistance fighter. The two women make a love pact and try to block out the anti-Jewish persecution of the Nazi movement, but their time is running out.
One of my favourite actress, Natasha Lyonne, stars in this film is unabashedly camp romantic comedy, But I’m a Cheerleader is the directorial debut of well-known out-filmmaker and screenwriter Jamie Babbit. It tells the story of a pretty high school cheerleader who is sent off to an ex-gay camp by her family. The conversion therapies used are awkward, and the technicolor sets and pervasive use of neon pink add an utter flamboyancy to the whole romp.
Memento Mori was the second film in a loose series of Korean horror films, set in girls’ schools. It was also one of Korean first commercial films to depict lesbian characters. The film revolves around the relationship between two high school students, Yoo Shi-eun (Lee Young-jin) and Min Hyo-shin (Park Ye-jin). As the two girls become romantically involved, their taboo friendship causes them to be marginalized by the other students. Unable to cope with the social pressures of having a lover of the same gender, Shi-Eun tries to distance herself from the increasingly dependent Hyo-shin. Hyo-shin reacts poorly to Shi-eun’s changed attitude, viewing it as both a betrayal and rejection. Hyo-shin consequently commits suicide by jumping off of the school roof. After Hyo-shin’s death, supernatural occurrences start to terrorize all of the students that condemned the relationship. It is later revealed that Hyo-shin’s spirit is malevolently haunting the school through the remnants she left behind in the diary.
Brandon Teena (Hilary Swank) is the popular new guy in a tiny Nebraska town. He hangs out with the guys, drinking, cussing, and bumper surfing, and he charms the young women. Life is good for Brandon, now that he’s one of the guys and dating hometown beauty Lana (Chloë Sevigny). However, he’s forgotten to mention one important detail. It’s not that he’s wanted in another town for GTA and other assorted crimes, but that Brandon Teena was actually born a woman named Teena Brandon. When his best friends make this discovery, Brandon’s life is ripped apart. This tragic film is based on true events, and the performance by Hilary Swank pushed to the forefront of Hollywood elite, as she earned an Oscar for her role.
Chutney Popcorn was a popular romantic comedy. Reena (Nisha Ganatra) is an Indian American lesbian who lives and works in New York. Her sister Sarita, who is happily married, discovers that she is infertile. Reena offers to be a surrogate mother for her sister’s baby, hoping to improve her relationship with their mother, who disapproves of Reena’s sexual orientation. Reena has second thoughts when her girlfriend Lisa (Jill Hennessy) feels left out. A touching insight into culture, religion and sexual identify.
The last decade has seen a number of films deal with lesbians and lesbianism in a mature and insightful way. From light-hearted romantic comedies to tragic social dramas, Sapphic cinema has never been so healthy.
This stylish Italian historical drama is about a lesbian called Angela in 1800s Sicily who is forced to change her identity and pretend to be a man in order be with the woman she loves. The ethereal atmosphere of the cinematography and scenery belies the film’s angry critique of patriarchy and state-sanctioned homophobia.
Set in Victorian London, this BBC TV movie tells the tale of a miserable gentlewoman’s (played by Anna Madeley) attraction to an enigmatic spiritualist (Zoe Tapper). Adapted from Sarah Waters’ bestselling novel.
Viewers were wowed by this film’s twisty-turny plotting and hilarious reimagining of a long-established genre. Piper Perabo and Lena Headey are perfectly cast as two women with very different attitudes to their attraction to one another.
Another gem from the BBC, the “fingersmith” of the title refers to two 19th century female pickpockets who fall in love, despite coming from radically different social backgrounds. The quality of the acting and the beauty of the narrative structure will keep you glued to the screen.
Maria Maggenti’s second outing as director sees New York classical music expert Allegra (Elizabeth Reaser) starts dating a banker called Grace (Gretchen Mol), only to discover that previously they both dated the same male academic, played with poise and subtlety by Justin Kirke.
Perhaps the most high-profile lesbian motion picture of recent years, The Kids are Alright has an intriguing premise: what happens when the children of a long-term lesbian couple go seeking out the man who donated the sperm to create them? Although a critical and commercial success, the movie was not without its detractors who claimed that this nominally lesbian film was in fact more interested in satisfying a straight audience.
This brave and unflinching film highlights the obstacles that an African-American lesbian must overcome in order to find happiness and acceptance. Adepero Oduye’s lead performance as the troubled and conflicted Alike is nothing less than masterful.
A vividly realist portrayal of two women who fall in love. It should be that simple, but the fact that they are about to become step-sisters means that it really isn’t. Director Alexandre-Therese Keining handles the story with genuine empathy and respect.
As a recent blog entry on KitschMix showed, Iran is not the easiest place to be gay. Circumstance offers viewers an unsettling insight into what it is like to live in a society that treats women as second-class citizens and lesbians as something even worse.
A lesbian variation on the timeworn theme of teacher-pupil romance, Fernanda Cardoso’s meditation on the affair between a maternal psychology lecturer and a former child actress in need of a parental figure is intriguing stuff.
In honor of queer cinema (that is, cinema made by, starring, or directed by LGBT people) here are five lesbian films that capture the lesbian experience.
One of my favourite actress, Natasha Lyonne, stars in this film is unabashedly camp romantic comedy, But I’m a Cheerleader is the directorial debut of well-known out-filmmaker and screenwriter Jamie Babbit. It tells the story of a pretty high school cheerleader who is sent off to an ex-gay camp by her family. The conversion therapies used are awkward, and the technicolor sets and pervasive use of neon pink add an utter flamboyancy to the whole romp.
Room in Rome is unlike most LGBT films out there — for better or worse. It attempts to delve into the realm of art house cinema as it tells a melancholic story of two strangers meeting and falling in love in over the span of one night in a hotel room .
The award-winning debut film from openly queer director Aurora Guerreo, Mosquita y Mari is a story of first love and self-discovery. Coming to terms with and exploring your sexuality is a major experience for anyone, but it takes on a different significance when a relationship is same-sex, and cultural and political environments limit your freedom and safety.
A Swedish movie that came out in 201; it stars Ruth Vega Fernandez and Liv Mjönes. Part family drama and part romance, Kyss Mig (translated as With Ever Heartbeat) tells the story of Mia and Frida, women on their way to becoming step-sisters after the engagement of their parents. Further complicating their story is the fact that Mia is also engaged to a man, a situation that forces the two women to make some very difficult and confrontational decisions.
A solid, light-hearted rom-com, I Can’t Think Straight has everything you would want in a date-night movie: a little bit of drama, a lot of cheesy, heartfelt moments, and the happy ending you’d expect.
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