With films such as Portrait of a Lady on Fire and Ammonite gaining mainstream recognition, it is without a doubt that we will be seeing more films featuring WLW (women-loving-women) relationships in the upcoming years. Although, it begs the question, will most mainstream WLW films continue to focus on period pieces set in the past?
Modern WLW films are necessary – those who identify with WLW deserve to see contemporary, realistic representation in the media. Here is a non-exhaustive list of WLW films set in modern times. Hopefully, there will be many more to come!
1. Pariah (2011)
Pariah is a coming-of-age film featuring a 17-year-old African-American teenager named Alike (Adepero Oduye). Alike explores her identity as a butch lesbian by frequenting gay clubs with her openly lesbian friend Laura (Pernell Walker). Alike’s mother, suspicious of her daughter’s sexuality, pressures her into befriending a colleague’s daughter named Bina (Aasha Davis). Bina is everything that Alike’s mother wants in a daughter: feminine, soft, and modest. As Alike and Bina begin to spend time together, they form a close bond, causing tension between Alike and Laura.
Based partly on director Dee Rees’ personal experiences, Pariah paints a realistic portrayal of love, loss, and personal acceptance. The film is a hopeful representation of sexuality, gender identity, and the art of discovering oneself.
2. Saving Face (2004)
Wil Pang (Michelle Krusiec) is a young Chinese-American surgeon practicing in New York. Wil is a lesbian, dating a woman named Vivian (Lynn Chen), unbeknownst to her mother and immediate family. One day Wil comes home to find that her mother (Joan Chen) is pregnant and, because of her unwillingness to reveal the father, has been kicked out of her family home. As two individuals ostracized by society, Wil and her mother must learn how to navigate their relationships and identities while living together.
Saving Face is a sweet exploration of a mother-daughter bond within Chinese-American society. The film focuses on Chinese-American culture and the consequences of breaking away from tradition.
3. Rafiki (2018)
Kena (Samantha Mugatsia) is an academically gifted young woman living in Nairobi, Kenya. Ziki (Sheila Munyiva) is a vibrant young woman who loves fashion and dancing. Their paths intertwine when their fathers run for the same position in Nairobi’s local elections, and romance blooms between the two women. Ziki and Kena must navigate their newfound relationship while dealing with Kenya’s strict laws against homosexuality.
Rafiki is a groundbreaking Kenyan film full of hope. Even though this film is banned in Kenya, it received a 6-minute standing ovation when it premiered at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival, the first Kenyan film to do so.
4. Thelma (2017)
Thelma (Eili Harboe) is a college student in Norway that discovers she has telekinetic abilities that manifest when she starts developing feelings for fellow student Anja (Okay Kaya). Thelma explores her newfound powers and relationship with Anja in this sci-fi drama film.
Thelma is thrilling and mysterious with beautiful imagery. The film draws upon themes of sexual freedom and identity.
5. D.E.B.S. (2004)
D.E.B.S. (Discipline, Energy, Beauty, Strength) is a paramilitary academy that uses the SAT to recruit women for espionage. Amy (Sarah Foster) is the squad leader of the D.E.B.S. group tasked with surveilling a criminal named Lucy Diamond (Jordana Brewster). Amy ends up falling for Lucy, complicating the squad’s mission.
D.E.B.S. is a lighthearted, romantic spy comedy. The film has an early 2000s flair and ends on a happy note.