Early Lesbian Film: A female bandit (Asta Nielsen), protects a young woman from a fellow bandit, then kisses her in Zapata's Gang (1914), Dir. Urban Gad
Early Lesbian Film: Filibus (1915), Dir. Mario Roncoroni
In this Italian crime thriller from the silent era, The Baroness Troixmond, whose true identity is Filibus, the mysterious air pirate, hatches a plan to frame the detective chasing her for her crimes. Along the way, she disguises herself as a man, seduces the detective's sister, steals a couple priceless diamonds and hatches many a devious plot in her flying submarine.
A Comprehensive List of Pre-21st Century Lesbian Films
There seems to be a lot of interest in older/more niche lesbian film so I've been putting together this list. I'm going to keep adding to it as I find more films so feel free to let me know if I'm missing anything! Enjoy!
Quick disclaimer: Some of these films contain problematic elements such as racism, homophobia, sexism and so on. This list is not an endorsement of all these films, it is only for archival purposes. As I have not seen all these films I cannot provide accurate content warnings, so please do your own research before watching.
1880 - 1919
The Kiss (1882), Dir. Eadweard Muybridge [SHORT, SILENT, ZOOPRAXISCOPE]
Pierrette’s Escapades (1900), Dir. Alice Guy [SHORT, SILENT, HAND TINTED]
At the Floral Ball (1900), Dir. Alice Guy [SHORT, SILENT, HAND TINTED]
Midwife to the Upper Class (1902), Dir. Alice Guy [SHORT, SILENT, COMEDY]
The Jester’s Joke (1910), Dir. Walter R. Booth [SHORT, SILENT, COMEDY]
Zapata’s Gang (1914), Dir. Urban Gad [SILENT, CRIME, COMEDY]
Filibus (1915), Dir. Mario Roncoroni [SILENT, ACTION]
1920-1939
Manslaughter (1922), Dir. Cecil B. Demil [SILENT, DRAMA]
The Girl in Tails (1926), Dir. Karin Swanstrom [SILENT, COMEDY]
Wings (1927), Dir. William A. Wellman [SILENT, WAR, ACTION]
Pandora’s Box (1929), Dir. G.W. Pabst [SILENT, DRAMA]
Diary of a Lost Girl (1929), Dir. G.W. Pabst [SILENT, DRAMA]
Morocco (1930), Dir. Josef von Sternberg [DRAMA, ROMANCE]
Mädchen in Uniform (1931), Dir. Leontine Sagan [DRAMA, COMING OF AGE]
Queen Christina (1933), Dir. Rouben Mamoulian [DRAMA, PERIOD]
Fukujuso (1935), Dir. Jiro Kawate [SILENT, DRAMA]
The Tomboy (1936), Dir. Jean de Limur [DRAMA]
Girls’ Club (1936), Dir. Jacques Deval [COMEDY, CRIME]
1940-1959
Jenny Lamour (1947), Dir. Henri-Georges Clouzot [CRIME, DRAMA]
Thirst (1949), Dir. Ingmar Bergman [DRAMA]
Caged (1950), Dir. John Cromwell [DRAMA]
Girl with Hyacinths (1950), Dir. Hasse Ekman [MYSTERY, NOIR]
Olivia (1951), Dir. Jacqueline Audry [DRAMA]
No Exit (1954), Dir. Jacqueline Audry [DRAMA]
La Garçonne (1957), Dir. Jacqueline Audry [DRAMA]
The Twilight Girls (1957), Dir. Andre Hunebelle [COMEDY, DRAMA]
Mädchen in Uniform (1958), Dir. Geza von Radvanyi [DRAMA, COMING OF AGE, REMAKE]
1960-1969
Blood and Roses (1960), Dir. Roger Vadim [VAMPIRE, HORROR, EROTIC]
Léon Morin, Priest (1961), Dir. Jean-Pierre Melville [DRAMA]
The Girl with the Golden Eyes (1961) Dir. Jean-Gabriel Albicocco [DRAMA]
The Children’s Hour (1961), Dir. WIlliam Wyler [DRAMA]
Walk on the Wild Side (1962), Dir. Edward Dymitrik [DRAMA]
Manji (1964), Dir. Yasuzo Masumura [DRAMA]
With Beauty and Sorrow (1965), Dir. Masahiro Shinoda [DRAMA]
Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (1965), Dir. Russ Meyer [EXPLOITATION]
Daisies (1966), Dir. Věra Chytilová [AVANT GARDE, COMEDY, DRAMA]
The Group (1966), Dir. Sidney Lumet [DRAMA]
La Religieuse (1966), Dir. Jacques Rivette [DRAMA]
Belle De Jour (1967), Dir. Luis Bunuel [DRAMA]
The Fox (1967), Dir. Mark Rydell [DRAMA]
Les Biches (1968), Dir. Clauthde Chabrol [DRAMA, EROTIC]
The Killing of Sister George (1968), Dir. Robert Aldrich [DRAMA, EXPLOITATION]
Therese and Isabelle (1968), Dir. Radley Metzger [ROMANCE, DRAMA, EROTIC]
The Girl from Pussycat (1969), Dir. Smythe David [SEXPLOITATION]
Check to the Queen (1969), Dir. Pasquale Festa Campanile [DRAMA, EROTIC]
The Others (1969), Dir. Renzo Maietto [DRAMA]
1970-1979
Valerie and Her Week of Wonders (1970), Dir. Jaromil Jires [AVANT GARDE, DRAMA, COMING OF AGE]
Midnight Virgin (1970), Dir. Shogoro Nishimura [DRAMA, EROTIC]
The Conformist (1970), Dir. Bernardo Bertolucci [POLITICAL DRAMA]
Multiple Maniacs (1970), Dir. John Waters [COMEDY]
The Dark Side of Tomorrow (1970), Dir. Jack Deerson, Barbara Peeters [DRAMA]
Nightmares Come at Night (1970), Dir. Jesús Franco [DRAMA]
The Vampire Lovers (1970), Dir. Roy Ward Baker [VAMPIRE, HORROR, EROTIC]
The Shiver of the Vampires (1971), Dir. Jean Rollin [VAMPIRE, EROTIC]
Girl Slaves of Morgana Le Fay (1971), Dir. Bruno Gantillon [EROTIC]
Daughters of Darkness (1971), Dir. Harry Kumel [VAMPIRE, EROTIC]
Vampyros Lesbos (1971), Dir. Jesús Franco [VAMPIRE, EXPLOITATION, EROTIC]
Daughter of Dracula (1972), Dir. Jesús Franco [VAMPIRE, EROTIC]
Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan (1972), Dir. Chor Yuen [DRAMA, EROTIC]
The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant (1972), Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder [DRAMA]
The Beguines (1972), Dir. Guy Casaril [DRAMA, EROTIC]
Don Juan or If Don Juan Were a Woman (1973), Dir. Roger Vadim [DRAMA, EROTIC]
Lemora: A Child’s Tale of the Supernatural (1974), Dir. Richard Blackburn [HORROR, COMING OF AGE]
A Gay Day (1973), Dir Barbara Hammer [SHORT]
I Was/I Am (1973), Dir. Barbara Hammer [SHORT]
Dyketactics (1974), Dir. Barbara Hammer [SHORT]
Sisters! (1974), Dir. Barbara Hammer [SHORT, DOCUMENTARY]
Vampyres (1974), Dir. Jose Ramon Larraz [VAMPIRE, EXPLOITATION, EROTIC]
Je Tu Il Elle (1974), Dir. Chantal Ackerman [DRAMA]
Successive Slidings of Pleasure (1974), Dir. Alain Robbe-Grillet [HORROR, AVANT GARDE, EROTIC]
Superdyke (1975), Dir. Barbara Hammer [COMEDY, SHORT]
Superdyke Meets Madame X (1975), Dir. Barbara Hammer [SHORT]
Picnic At Hanging Rock (1975), Dir. Peter Weir [MYSTERY, DRAMA]
Women I Love (1976), Dir. Barbara Hammer [EROTIC, SHORT]
Bilitis (1977), Dir. David Hamilton [EROTIC]
Alucarda (1977), Dir. Juan López Moctezuma [VAMPIRE, HORROR, EXPLOITATION]
Fascination (1979), Dir. Jean Rollin [VAMPIRE, HORROR, EROTIC]
See Here My Love (1979), Dir. Hugo Santiago [MYSTERY, DRAMA]
1980-1989
Simone Barbes or Virtue (1980), Dir. Marie-Claude Treilhou [DRAMA]
Personal Best (1982), Dir. Robert Towne [SPORTS, DRAMA]
Scrubbers (1982), Dir. Mai Zetterling [DRAMA]
The Living Dead Girl (1982), Dir. Jean Rollin [ZOMBIE, HORROR]
Audience (1982), Dir. Barbara Hammer [DOCUMENTARY]
The Hunger (1983), Dir. Tony Scott [VAMPIRE]
Lianna (1983), Dir. John Sayles [DRAMA]
La Pirate (1984), Dir. Jacques Doillon [DRAMA]
Desert Hearts (1985), Dir. Donna Deitch [ROMANCE, DRAMA]
Anne Trister (1986), Dir. Lea Pool [DRAMA]
Kamikaze Hearts (1986), Dir. Juliet Bashore [DOCUFICTION]
Working Girls (1986), Dir. Lizzie Borden [DRAMA]
I’ve Heard the Mermaids Singing (1987), Dir. Patricia Rozema [COMEDY]
No No Nooky T.V. (1987), Dir. Barbara Hammer [COMEDY, SHORT]
1990-1999
The Company of Strangers (1990) Dir. Cynthia Scott [DOCUFICTION]
Salmonberries (1991), Dir. Percy Adlon [DRAMA]
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992), Dir. David Lynch [HORROR, AVANT GARDE]
Nitrate Kisses (1992), Dir. Barbara Hammer [DOCUMENTARY]
Fresh Kill (1994), Dir. Shu Lea Cheang [SCI-FI, AVANT GARDE]
Heavenly Creatures (1994), Dir. Peter Jackson [CRIME, THRILLER, BIOPIC]
The Celluloid Closet (1995), Dir. Rob Epstein & Jeffrey Friedman [DOCUMENTARY]
BloodSisters: Leather, Dykes, and Sadomasochism (1995), Dir. Michelle Handelman [DOCUMENTARY]
Bound (1996), Dir. The Wachowskis [CRIME, THRILLER]
The Watermelon Woman (1996), Dir. Cheryl Dunye [ROMANCE, DRAMA, COMEDY]
Irma Vep (1996), Dir. Olivier Assayas [DRAMA]
Gia (1998), Dir. Michael Cristopher [BIOPIC]
High Art (1998), Dir. Lisa Cholodenko [DRAMA]
Election (1999), Dir. Alexander Payne [COMEDY]
But I’m A Cheerleader (1999), Dir. Jamie Babbit [ROMANCE, COMEDY]
Adolescence of Utena (1999), Dir. Kunihiko Ikuhara [ANIME, DRAMA, COMING OF AGE]
Early Lesbian Film: The Jester's Joke (1912), Dir. Walter R. Booth
This 6-minute short film is a lesbian take on classic Commedia dell'arte character dynamics.
Harlequina uses magical cigarette smoke to create Columbina and two Pierrots. The Pierrots attempt to court Columbina unsucessfully, then Harlequina uses her magic to make them vanish. Harlequina then flirts and dances with Columbina, and finally uses her smoke to create a third woman in a gown.
Early Lesbian Film: Midwife to the Upper Class (1902), Dir. Alice Guy
Midwife to the Upper Class is a 1902 film directed by Alice Guy. It is a three-character adaptation of the subject of her first film, The Cabbage Fairy (1896). A young peasant couple approaches the counter of a store where children are being sold. The saleswoman shows them various "items," but none of them seem to satisfy them. The shopkeeper then leads the couple to the storeroom—a garden overflowing with cabbages. She shows them different babies, which she extracts directly from the vegetables. After finding the baby that suits them, the young newlyweds settle the bill and leave. The performers in this film are all women: Yvonne and Germaine Serand play the roles of the saleswoman and the young bride.
The success of the original Cabbage Fairy relied on a single scene: a fairy extracting real babies from giant theater cabbages. However, a new storyline idea tarnishes the contemporary view of the film by reflecting the deep-rooted racism of that era: the introduction of a (fake) black baby, which is horrifyingly rejected by the prospective parents. The spontaneous rejection portrayed is difficult to watch in a film that already depicts the unsettling fantasy of being able to choose one's future child, adding a store and a couple with their savings pulled from a sock to the original enchanting scene.
Early Film Homoerotica: Sandow (1894 & 1896), Dir. William Dickson
*Souvenir strip of the Edison Kinetoscope, Sandow, the Modern Hercules*
The first two scenes, constitute the film known as The Souvenir Strip of the Edison Kinetoscope. Eugen Sandow, the Modern Hercules_ , produced by the Edison Manufacturing Company and recorded on May 6, 1894 at the Black Maria Studio. The copyright was instead registered on May 18 of the same year. Dickson, and his assistant Heise, hired Sandow having met him in the Newark gym they used to frequent in search of athletes and acrobats to use as subjects for the first films they were producing. The Prussian bodybuilder thus became the first of the celebrities to appear in Edison's films. Sandow's film was included among the ten in the first public program for the Kinetoscope and was one of its major attractions: Sandow's taut muscles appealed not only to the ladies but also to their husbands. With this film Sandow became the first sex-symbol in film history.
Early Lesbian Film: Pierrette's Escapades (1900), Dir. Alice Guy
Pierrette's Escapades, a short film by French cinema pioneer Alice Guy, puts a lesbian twist on a typical Commedia Dell'arte plot: Pierrette attempts to court Columbina, but is rejected. Then Columbina dances with her lover, Arlequina, and kisses her.
The film was colored by hand on the nitrate stock. Unfortunately, the stock is damaged due to deterioration over time.
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