Movies

The Best Lesbian/Bi Movie Poll: Winners!

Two weeks ago, we asked you to vote for your favorite Lesbian/Bisexual Movie of all time. We know it was hard, but we tried to help you as much as possible, weighing in with our own writers’ votes as well as the opinions of filmmakers, actors and writers. How did those things factor in? Well it appears we’re all on somewhat of the same wavelength, but still have varying degrees of interests when it comes to what makes something “the best.”

So let’s start with what didn’t make the cut. Surprisingly some classics like Personal Best, The Hunger, All Over Me or The Killing of Sister George were not close to breaking the top 50. Some of our experts’ older suggestions like Persona and Coup de Foudre/Entre Nous were barely voted for, while some that cracked the top 10 were as much of as surprise. (Elena Undone over Bound and But I’m a Cheerleader? OK, it’s your list!)

There are also some trends, such as the fact you seem to enjoy Sarah Waters adaptations and films by Lisa Cholodenko, Jamie Babbit, Shamim Sarif and Wendy Jo Carlton, who all have two films in the top 50. Piper Perabo, Natasha Lyonne, Shamin Sarif and Lisa Ray are the winningest actors, all of them having starred in two films that made the cut.

What was evident, overall, is that you guys prefer a happy ending to a tragedy, but you’ll still let some sad ones slip by as long as they are very sad and end with someone dying, usually by their own doing – or undoing.

First, some stats on the winners! And now, onto the list.

1. Imagine Me & You (2005) Starring: Piper Perabo, Lena Headey Director: Ol Parker

Having already solidified herself as a lesbian favorite from Lost & Delirious, Piper Perabo starred in this romantic comedy with a delightful lesbian twist. Interestingly enough, the film was first written to be straight-forwardly straight, which Piper’s Rachel leaving her new husband for another man. But when that felt too conventional, the script changed and Lena Headey was given the pivotal part as a ginger-haired flower shop owner that wooed Rachel’s heart, even on her wedding day. With a sweet soundtrack and feel-good ending, it’s clear that AfterEllen.com readers prefer a lesbian love story that has a happily-ever-after.

Our review of “Imagine Me & You”

2. I Can’t Think Straight (2008) Starring: Lisa Ray, Sheetel Sheth Director: Shamim Sarif

Written and directed by an out lesbian, this film was one of the first and best depictions of two Middle Eastern women from different backgrounds falling for one another. The follow-up to Sarif’s The World Unseen had all kinds of conflicts happening for the women at its center, but never lost its way. It also made lesbian icons of the actresses, and Sheth will reprise her role as Leyla in the upcoming web adaptation.

Our review of “I Can’t Think Straight”

3. Kiss Me/Kyss Mig (2011) Starring: Ruth Vega Fernandez, Liv Mjönes Director: Alexandra-Therese Keining

It’s interesting to see how high a film released in the last year can rank so high on the list of Best Lesbian/Bi Films Ever, but it’s no surprise that it was Kiss Me. The Swedish film about step-sisters-to-be who find themselves with an unexpected attraction is well-written, beautifully-shot and incredibly acted. It’s based on similar circumstances from the writer-director’s real life, which gives it an added element of lesbian appeal.

Our review of Kiss Me

4. Elena Undone (2010) Starring: Necar Zadegan, Traci Dinwiddie Director: Nicole Conn

A movie about spiritual connection as much as it is about Sapphic relationships, Elena Undone followed the blossoming relationship between Elena and Payton, which was inspired by Nicole Conn’s meeting of her wife in real life. The film boasted the longest kiss to ever be filmed, clocking in at 3:24.

Our review of “Elena Undone”

5. But I’m a Cheerleader (1999) Starring: Natasha Lyonne, Clea DuVall, Melanie Lynskey, RuPaul, Mink Stole Director: Jamie Babbit

This dark comedy about ex-gay conversion delivered a political message alongside several lesbian characters and a romance between Megan, the Christian cheerleader, and Graham, the sarcastic rich girl at risk of losing her inheritance. An all-star cast with quotable quips and a killer soundtrack including an unforgettable cello-laden song played during a soft sex scene, we’d be shocked if this wouldn’t have landed in the top five.

Our review of “But I’m a Cheerleader”

6. Saving Face (2004) Starring: Joan Chen, Michelle Krusiec, Lynn Chen Director: Alice Wu

When two Chinese-American women have to balance their lesbian relationship with family loyalty, they don’t necessarily make the right choices. But Wil and Vivian end up realizing that their love for one another is stronger than the disdain of their disapproving critics. Drawn from the experience of out director Alice Wu, Saving Face detailed a very real situation for gay Asian women who feel very intense societal and familial pressure to turn out “right.”

Our review of “Saving Face”

7. D.E.B.S (2004) Starring: Sara Foster, Jordana Brewster, Meagan Good, Devon Aoki, Jill Ritchie Director: Angela Robinson

The short film version did so well at Sundance that the feature film was destined to become a lesbian-favorite. Schoolgirl spies fighting for their lives are interrupted by the fact their enemy is in love with one of their own. It’s like Romeo & Juliet meets Charlie’s Angels, but with an agreeable conclusion. Overall it’s a fun, feel-good film for those of us who have always dreamed of gun-toting with our girlfriends.

Our review of “D.E.B.S.”

8. Fingersmith (2005) Starring: Sally Hawkins, Imelda Staunton, Elaine Cassidy Director: Aisling Walsh

Sarah Waters‘ novel-turned-TV movie was a Victorian romance written just for us. Maud and Sue start out as friends but quickly realize there is more to their admiration of each other. As is true in other Waters’ work, there is commentary on the class system as well as the way the two women feel for one another.

Our review of “Fingersmith”

9. Loving Annabelle (2006) Starring: Diane Gaidry, Erin Kelly Director: Katherine Brooks

Based on a film that narrowly missed the cut-off for this very list (Mädchen in Uniform), this teacher-and-pupil forbidden love story has some heavy moments. But there’s balance with the tenderness shared between a mature boarding school teen and her object of affection who’s still reeling after the loss of her partner. Anyone who has ever had a crush on a teacher likely found this film to be their favorite.

Our review of “Loving Annabelle”

10. Desert Hearts (1985) Starring: Helen Shaver, Patricia Charbonneau Director: Donna Deitch

The 1964 novel was adapted 20 years later and came to be famous as the first lesbian film to have a positive ending. Out director Donna Deitch has said she had trouble finding financing and actors willing to play the leading lesbian roles, but the final product was so good, it ended up being given to every actor on The L Word to take notes on its sex scene. Desert Hearts was nominated for Sundance and Indie Spirit Awards, and won Helen Shaver the Bronze Leopard at the Locarno International Film Festival.

Our review of “Desert Hearts”

11. Bound (1996) Starring: Gina Gershon, Jennifer Tilly Directors: The Wachowskis

The ninth highest grossing lesbian film ever, Bound is arguably one of the most well-known. The sexual chemistry between Gina Gershon’s Corky and Jennifer Tilly’s Violet made Bound one of the best butch/femme situations to ever be portrayed, and the mob element only made their shared scenes hotter. The directors knew they were making the right decision with the story, too, as they were encouraged to change Corky from a female to a male and refused, saying “that movie’s been made a million times.” Certainly there’s only one Bound.

Our review of “Bound”

12. Aimee & Jaguar (1999) Starring: Maria Schrader, Juliane Köhler Director: Max Färberböck

The historical film is based on a real-life tragic love story that was detailed in memoirs found after WWII. The cinematography and acting were impeccable, the story undeniably moving. This tearjerker won both actresses Best Actress awards at Berlinale and was also nominated for Best Foreign Film at the Golden Globes that year. A Holocaust story like we hadn’t heard before, it also proved lesbians have been part of even the worst of times in the history of the world.

Our review of “Aimee & Jaguar”

13. Tipping the Velvet (2002) Starring: Rachael Stirling, Keeley Hawes Director: Geoffrey Sax

Sarah Waters doesn’t make too poor a showing with two of her lesbian novel adaptations both figuring into the top 15. Tipping the Velvet had a little more controversy surrounding its filming, with the presence of dildos in the story and other kinds of sexual innuendo. But the end result proved to be a happy medium of explicitness and serving the story.

Our review of “Tipping the Velvet”

14. If These Walls Could Talk 2 (2000) Starring: Vanessa Redgrave, Chloë Sevigny, Michelle Williams, Sharon Stone, Ellen DeGeneres, Natasha Lyonne Directors: Jane Anderson, Martha Coolidge, Anne Heche

HBO’s TV movie featured an all-star cast in vignettes of lesbian life throughout three different decades. Dealing with ideas of life-long partnership ignored by one’s family, conceiving a child, attempts to become part of a feminist party and other political statements, If These Walls Could Talk 2 is an important piece that people could still learn from, 12 years later. It won Vanessa Redgrave an Emmy, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award, and the entire cast and crew were awarded the Women in Film Crystal + Lucy Awards for its “excellence and innovation.” Also it was probably the last time we’ll ever see Anne Heche direct any part of a lesbian film.

Our review of “If These Walls Could Talk 2”

15. Lost & Delirious (2001) Starring: Piper Perabo, Jessica Paré, Mischa Barton Director: Léa Pool

Based on The Wives of Bath by Susan Swan, the boarding school love story introduced us to three actresses we are not only familiar with but undying fans of now. It begins quite happily as a picture of young love but ends in a stunning loss that no one saw coming. It might have won some extra points for utilizing slow sad songs by Ani Difranco and Meshell Ndegeocello.

Our review of “Lost & Delirious”

16. Show Me Love/Fucking Åmål (1998) Starring: Rebecka Liljeberg, Alexandra Dahlström Director: Lukas Moodysson

In this Swedish coming-of-age story, a young lesbian with no friends and depressing life in a rundown town has a crush on a beautiful popular girl at her school. What starts as unrequited love ends in their being outed as a couple, but a vague yet positive conclusion kept us happily believing Elin and Agnes could make it through anything. A teen movie that is without cheesiness or cliched coming out moments, Show Me Love was lauded as a must-see film by straight and gay film festivals alike, including the British Film Institute, the Berlin Film Festival and GLAAD Awards.

Our review of “Show Me Love”

17. The World Unseen (2007) Starring: Lisa Rey, Sheetal Sheth, Parvin Dabas Director: Shamim Sarif

Adapted from her own novel of the same name, Shamim Sarif wrote and directed this historical romance about two Indian South African who fall in love during Apartheid. Lisa Rey and Sheetal Sheth also starred in Sarif’s I Can’t Think Straight, which came in at #2 on our list.

Our review of “The World Unseen”

18. When Night is Falling (1995) Starring: Pascale Bussières, Rachael Crawford Director: Patricia Rozema

Camille Baker, a literature professor at a religious college, falls in love with a female circus performer named Petra. The film was originally given a NC-17 rating, but was released on DVD with no MPAA rating at all.

Our review of “When Night is Falling”

19. Jamie and Jessie Are Not Together (2011) Starring: Jacqui Jackson, Jessica London-Shields, Fawzia Mirza Director: Wendy Jo Carlton

A musical comedy that focuses on two queer best friends who are not together, though one of them is desperately in love with the other. The film features music from iconic lesbian musicians Tegan and Sara and God-des and She.

Our review of “Jamie and Jessie Are Not Together”

20. Gia (1998) Starring: Angelina Jolie, Faye Dunaway, Elizabeth Mitchell Director: Michael Cristofer

Gia is an HBO-produced biopic about bisexual model Gia Marie Carangi whose meteoric rise through the New York fashion industry is cut short by her drug addiction. Not even her passionate affair with makeup artist Linda can get her back on track, and although she eventually is successful in her attempts to kick her habit, she discovers at the age of 26 that she has contracted AIDS.

Our review of “Gia”

21. Room in Rome (2010) Starring: Elena Anaya, Natasha Yarovenko Director: Julio Medem

Despite her protests that she is not a lesbian, Natasha is seduced by Alba at a club in Rome. It’s more than just (hot, hot, hot, hot) sex, though; the two fall in love in a single night, through stories told mostly by flashback, but agree to part ways the following morning.

Our review of “Room in Rome”

22. Hannah Free (2009) Starring: Sharon Gless, Maureen Gallagher, Kelli Strickland Director: Wendy Jo Carlton

Based on Claudia Allen’s play, Hannah Free is romantic dramedy about two midwestern girls who fall in love and live out their relationship despite one of them marrying, one world war, a whole lot of family homophobia, and a final heartbreaking illness.

Our review of “Hannah Free”

23. The Kids Are All Right (2010) Starring: Annette Bening, Julianne Moore Director: Lisa Cholodenko

Nic and Jules are a lesbian couple living a happy life in California with their kids, but things get complicated when their two kids track down the man who donated sperm to Nic and Jules for both of their pregnancies. The film was nominated for four Golden Globes and four Oscars, including Best Picture.

Our review of “The Kids Are All Right”

24. High Art (1998) Starring: Radha Mitchell, Ally Sheedy, Patricia Clarkson Director: Lisa Cholodenko

High art photographer Syd has a chance meeting with her upstairs neighbor, Lucy, a former super star photographer who has retired to take care of her drug-addicted girlfriend. The two begin a professional relationship that turns sexual as they grapple with their careers and their desire for fame.

Our review of “High Art”

25. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2009, Sweden) (2011, United States) Starring: (Swedish) Michael Nyqvist, Noomi RapacePiper (United States) Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, Christopher Plummer Director: (Swedish) Niels Arden Oplev (United States) David Fincher

Bisexual computer hacker Lisbeth Salander has been written off and abused by society, but despite all the odds against her, she finds a way to punish her abusers and obtain her freedom while helping financial reporter Mikael Blomkvist solve a decades-old murder mystery on an affluent, family-owned island.

Our review of “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” (Sweden) (United States)

26. The Incredibly True Adventures of 2 Girls in Love (1995) Starring: Laurel Holloman, Nicole Ari Parker Director: Maria Maggenti

Randy Dean and Evie Roy live on different sides of the tracks and on different ends of the gender presentation spectrum, and after a chance meeting at the gas station where Randy works, they fall hopelessly in love. They are forced to run away to be together, but are found out quickly by their friends and family, who end the movie arguing about Randy and Evie’s sexuality while Randy and Evie embrace and kiss.

Our review of “The Incredibly True Adventures of 2 Girls in Love”

27. Better Than Chocolate (1999) Starring: Wendy Crewson, Karyn Dwyer, Christina Cox Director: Anne Wheeler

Having fallen on hard times, Maggie’s mother and brother move in with her, which puts a real strain on her passionate new lesbian love affair, as her family doesn’t know she’s gay. Maggie is only able to keep her relationship secret for a short while, and when her mom and brother discover the truth, it leads to lots of hijinks and hugs.

Our review of “Better than Chocolate”

28. Mulholland Drive (2001) Starring: Naomi Watts, Laura Harring Director: David Lynch

David Lynch’s psychological thriller explores the romantic relationship between Naomi Watts and Laura Herring’s characters through the means of nonlinear vignettes. Critics have spent a decade trying to parse the “true” story from the surreal elements of the narrative. The film was nominated for a truck-load of Oscars, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Critics Association awards.

Our review of “Mulholland Drive”

29. Bloomington (2010) Starring: Allison McAtee, Sarah Stouffer, Katherine Ann McGregor Director: Fernanda Cardoso

One of the many films on our list featuring professor-student relationships, Bloomington tells the story of a former child star who enters into a relationship with a female professor, but is then forced to choose between her love life and a return to professional acting.

Our review of “Bloomington”

30. The Four-Faced Liar (2010) Starring: Marja Lewis Ryan, Emily Peck Director: Jacob Chase

Molly and Bridget start up a sexual relationship despite the fact that Molly has just moved in with her longterm boyfriend and Bridget claims that no woman can hold her attention for longer than a few minutes. The film ends with one of them in love and one of them in like.

Our review of “The Four-Faced Liar”

31. Circumstance (2011) Starring: Sarah Kazemy, Nikohl Boosheri Director: Maryam Keshavarz

Circumstance is a coming-of-age story that follows two Iranian teenage best friends, Atafeh and Shireen, who fall in love. Things get complicated by the fact that Atafeh’s hyper-religious brother is also in love with Shireen.

Our review of “Circumstance”

32. The Hours (2002) Starring: Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, Julianne Moore, Allison Janney, Claire Danes, Toni Collette, Miranda Richardson Director: Stephen Daldry

Based on Michael Cunningham‘s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, the film looks at the lives of three women across three generations, all of whom are connected by Virginia Woolf‘s Mrs Dalloway. Among the stories is that of the lesbian relationship between Meryl Streep’s Clarissa Vaughn and Allison Janney’s Sally Lester.

Our review of “The Hours”

33. Kissing Jessica Stein (2001) Starring: Jennifer Westfeldt, Heather Juergensen Director: Charles Herman-Wurmfeld

An honest, organic exploration of sexual fluidity, Kissing Jessica Stein follows Jessica as she discovers that everything she is looking for in a man is contained in the person of Helen Cooper.

Our review of “Kissing Jessica Stein”

34. Nina’s Heavenly Delights (2006) Starring: Laura Fraser, Shelley Conn Director: Pratibha Parmar

Director Pratibha Parmar may be better known for her documentaries (she’s currently working on one about writer Alice Walker), but her romantic comedy about Nina, a woman who falls for Lisa, the new co-owner of her Scottish family’s Indian restaurant, was an instant crowd-pleaser. Combining food, love and coming out metaphors in one tasty mix (Nina must teach Lisa to, ahem, cook), Parmar delivered a feature film that tread some familiar ground in the lesbian film canon while avoiding the tragedy pitfall that mars far too many cinematic lesbian love stories.

Our review of “Nina’s Heavenly Delights”

35. Black Swan Starring: Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis Director: Darren Aronofsky

Natalie Portman scored a Best Actress Oscar for her portrayal of Nina, the obsessive yet emotionally fragile ballerina whose quest to land the role of the Swan Queen in a high-profile production of Swan Lake sends her over the edge and, briefly, into the arms of her competitor, played by Mila Kunis. By the end of the film, viewers were left wondering if the sex and violence in the film were literal or metaphorical, real or imagined. Either way, and to the delight of many lesbian/bi audiences, the onscreen chemistry between Portman and Kunis was undeniable.

Our review of “Black Swan”

36. Pariah (2011) Starring: Adepero Oduye, Kim Wayans, Aasha Davis Director: Dee Rees

Out writer/director Dee Rees grew her short film about Alike, a young black lesbian struggling to come out and come into her own, into an acclaimed feature that put star Adepero Oduye on the map. We follow Alike as she explores her gender expression, navigates the trials of young love and tries to figure out how to deal with her mom’s homophobia and the cracks in her parents’ marriage. It’s not just about coming about, it’s about the rich complexities of self-discovery, and it’s unforgettable.

Our review of “Pariah”

37. My Summer of Love (2004) Starring: Emily Blunt, Natalie Press Director: Pawel Pawlikowski

Think Heavenly Creatures with cigarettes and sex, but without all the murder. This lyrical film about a romantic friendship between earthy Mona (Natalie Press) and the privileged, dramatic and irresistible Tamsin (Emily Blunt) will remind you of the first unreliable girl you couldn’t stop thinking about. Capturing all of the intensity and frustration of a teen romance that is destined not to work out, Pawel Pawlikowski’s film, like Tamsin herself, is dreamy, gorgeous and erotic, but possesses an undeniable edge.

Our review of “My Summer of Love”

38. You and I (2011) Starring: Mischa Barton, Shantel VanSanten Director: Roland Joffé

Fans of lesbianish musical duo t.A.T.u. were probably stoked when information about the production of You and I began trickling out. A “romantic thriller ” about two girls who fall in love after meeting at a t.A.T.u. show and then must battle the perils of “high society ” in order to stay together? Starring Mischa Barton (!) and Shantel VanSanten, it probably sounded too good to be true. And, upon its release, most critics agreed that it was. Still, lesbians are notoriously loyal to their favorite performers and You and I found its way to respectable standing on our list!

39. The Sea Purple (Viola di Mare) (2009) Starring: Valeria Solarino, Isabella Ragonese Director: Donatella Maiorca

A lesbian romance set on a beautiful Mediterranean island? Italian writer/director Donatella Marioca obviously knows what we want, and she delivers the goods in this period piece about Angela, a rebellious woman who refuses to participate in an arranged marriage, instead declaring her passionate love for, Sara, the woman’s she desired since childhood. When it seems that societal pressures may keep them apart, Angela’s mother proposes a bold, transgressive solution. Without spoiling it, we can tell you that knowing that the film is based on a true story makes the story even more impressive.

Our review of “The Sea Purple”

 

40. Gray Matters (2006) Starring: Heather Graham, Bridget Moynahan, Rachel Shelley Director: Sue Kramer

Sue Kramer’s romantic comedy was panned by some for having too many loose ends and playing into some of the more cloying lesbian movie stereotypes. But we’re guessing that our readers who voted for it were taken by the madcap, screwball style of the film and Heather Graham’s playful turn as advertising copywriter Gray, who realizes she’s gay and has the good fortune to hook up with Bridget Moynahan.

Our review of “Gray Matters”

41. Fire (1996) Starring: Shabana Azmi, Nandita Das Director: Deepa Mehta

Deepa Mehta’s award-winning film about two Indian sisters-in-law living in traditional marriages who fall in love with each other sparked violent protests in India upon its release in 1996. Since then, some have argued that the film isn’t necessarily about lesbianism as much as it is about female empowerment. Any way you interpret it, Fire is a powerful, moving film about two women trying to forge their own destinies beneath the weight of cultural tradition.

Our review of “Fire”

42. The Runaways (2010) Starring: Kristen Stewart, Dakota Fanning, Alia Shawkat Director: Floria Sigismondi

The true life story of all-girl rock band The Runaways can be seen as equal parts inspirational and cautionary, and the rock biopic about them does a great job of holding the tension between the dangerous realities of their unsupervised teen lives on the road and their raw, bold attack on a male-dominated musical genre. Kristen Stewart slouches and pouts as (strangely saintlike) guitarist Joan Jett, while Dakota Fanning surprises with her layered portrayal of sex kitten frontwoman Cherie Currie.Their sexual chemistry with each other is red hot, the stuff of a great rock song.

Our review of “The Runaways”

43. Wish Me Away (2011) Starring: Chely Wright, Jennifer Archer Directors: Bobbie Birleffi, Beverly Kopf

Before she came out, country singer songwriter Chely Wright had already established herself in the notoriously conservative Nashville scene, so she had much to lose by opening up and telling the truth about her life. This documentary charts the course of her well-planned coming out process, including some agonizing glimpses into her video diary in the days and moments before the announcement is made. As in her music, Wright puts herself out there in this film, touching nerves and hearts alike.

44. Edie & Thea: A Very Long Engagement (2009) Starring: Edie Windsor, Thea Spyer Directors:Susan Muska, Gréta Olafsdóttir

Because they were lesbians, Thea and Edie were forced to have an engagement that lasted longer than the actual marriages of many legally married folks. This heartwarming (and, in a sense, infuriating) documentary traces the lives and love of the two community activists from the 1960s to the present day, humanizing and making undeniably real the “political ” issue of marriage equality.

45. The Truth About Jane (2000) Starring: Ellen Muth, Stockard Channing Director: Lee Rose

One of the great things about TV movies is the fact that they’re so accessible, which is particularly important when they are movies about coming out and the teenagers who may stumble across them are gay. Sure, The Truth About Jane can be a little melodramatic and angsty, but then, so are teenagers. This movie, about a girl who comes out and her mom’s efforts to understand and accept her, is better than some feature films on the topic. But since Stockard Channing plays Jane’s mom, should we really be surprised?

Our review of “The Truth About Jane”

46. Spider Lilies (2007) Starring: Rainie Yang, Isabella Leong Director: Zero Chou

Can a rebellious cyber sexcam operator and grieving tattoo artist find true love with one another? That’s one of the matters at hand in this Taiwanese drama/romance that became a festival favorite when it was released in 2007. Criticized by some for being muddled and cartoonish, others found it to be a sexy, thrilling alternative to some of the more serious-themed lesbian films we typically have to chose from. Those of you who voted for it obviously agree!

Our review of “Spider Lilies”

47. The Children’s Hour (1961) Starring: Shirley MacLaine, Audrey Hepburn Director: William Wyler

If you’d ever like to assure yourself that conditions have (and continue to) improved for LGBT people, hunt down a copy of this 1961 film about the power of a lesbian rumor to destroy lives. Of course, William Wyler’s film version of the Lillian Hellman play never explicity uses the terms “lesbian” or “gay” but the impact of the suggestion of an “unnatural” relationship between two co-heads at a private school for girls is still shattering.

Our review of “The Children’s Hour”

48. Go Fish (1994) Starring: Guinevere Turner, V.S. Brodie Director: Rose Troche

It was the lesbian film of its generation, a surprise indie hit that launched the careers of its director (Troche) and writer/star (Turner), who went on to participate in some the most memorable lesbian films and TV shows of the last 20 years. In it, Turner’s Max is something of an Everylesbian, describing herself as a “single lesbo, looking for love.” Funny, charming, and revelatory in its chatty simplicity, Go Fish offered a first glimpse of a new generation of lesbian movies.

Our review of “Go Fish”

49. Heavenly Creatures (1994) Starring: Kate Winslet, Melanie Lynskey Director: Peter Jackson

Based on a shocking true story, Peter Jackson’s film is a surreal, dramatic depiction of obsessive teen love gone horribly awry. Kate Winslet made her big screen debut as Juliet, a pretty, vivacious girl who shared a strong attachement with moody, pensive Pauline.When their parents became concerned about the nature of their relationship and tried to keep them apart, Pauline and Juliet killed Pauline’s mother. Why is a film about such a horribly depressing topic on this list? Probably because many of us can relate to being prevented from embracing our first love because of our sexuality, and how hopeless and desperate repression can make us feel. Also, did we mention Kate Winslet?

Our review of “Heavenly Creatures”

50. Itty Bitty Titty Committee (2007) Starring:Melonie Diaz, Carly Pope, Nicole Vicius Director: Jamie Babbit

Fun, sexy, playful and decidedly punk in spirit, fans of Babbit’s But I’m a Cheerleader were likely pleased with this comedic film about radical feminists.

Our review of “Itty Bitty Titty Committee”

How many of the Best 50 Lesbian/Bi Films Ever have you seen? Did your number one make the cut?

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