Image from Deana Williams‘ short film Tracks
Our favorite lesbian themed movies continue.
Tracks (2009)
Filmmaker Deana Williams made her directorial debut with Tracks. This short film fest circuit movie is a coming of age story which explores a special friendship between two troubled teenage girls. “I thought this film would speak to those kids and to the families that go through these same issues,” said Williams. “I was searching for images of myself on screen when I was younger, so I decided to put those images out there.”
Work (2021)
Work is a short film made in the AFI Directing Workshop for Women. The film follows Gabriela, a queer film editor who cannot shake off the emotional effects of a breakup. Impulsively she drops into an old job, where she unexpectedly runs into a friend from her past. (This short film is hard to find but it is worth it. Look up filmmaker director April Maxey.)
Julie Johnson (2001)
Lili Taylor stars as Julie Johnson, a housewife who decides to take a computer class at a community college. When her husband finds out, he’s verbally abusive, Julie decides she’s had enough and separates from him. Claire (Courtney Love) Julie’s friend decides to leave her husband, and winds up moving in with Julie and her two children. While living together, Julie and Claire become romantically involved. And they all lived happily ever after, right? Pick up this movie and see for yourself.
Bruised (2020)
Halle Berry stars as a disgraced MMA fighter that finds redemption in the cage and the courage to face her demons when the son she had given up as an infant unexpectedly reenters her life.
Blue Is the Warmest Color (2013)
Blue is the Warmest Color is a coming of age movie that follows a teenage woman who develops a crush of an older blue-haired lady she passes on the street one day. The film is based Jul Maroh’s graphic novel of the same name.
Yes, God, Yes (2018)
After an innocent AOL chat turns racy, a Catholic teenager in the early 2000s discovers masturbation and struggles to suppress her new urges in the face of eternal damnation.
Frida (2002)
Salma Heyek gave an Oscar caliber performance as surrealist Mexican painter Frida Kahlo. The movie was adapted by Clancy Sigal, This film was based on the book Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo by Hayden Herrera. Although Heyek did not win the movie is one of her best performances on screen.
Money Matters (2011)
Money Matters is a coming of age drama that follows the turbulent relationship of 14 year-old Monique “Money” Matters and her mother Pamela. Pamela, who uses religion to deal with her own personal demons, pushes religion on her daughter so when Money develops a special friendship with a gangbanger girl, she knows she must keep it a secret. As the plot thickens it becomes clear that Money is not the only one with secrets as the riddles behind her mother’s mysterious past are answered. (This short film is hard to find but it is worth it.)
Hanna Free (2009)
Set mostly in a nursing home, 70-something Hannah is kept separate from her lifelong friend and lover Rachel, who is not expected to emerge from her coma. The nurses follow the orders of Rachel’s daughter Marge, who claims her mother would be upset by a visit from Hannah.
While Hannah’s heart is breaking at the thought of not being able to say goodbye, her mind is full of memories of their life together, and she is frequently visited by a younger, spirit Rachel. Hannah sees, hears, and experiences her, but to anyone else, Hannah appears to be talking to herself. Frustrated by feeling like a prisoner, Hannah grumbles, pleads to see Rachel, and writes in her journal. The backstory gradually emerges.
