26 Best Lesbian Movies to Watch That'll Make You Feel Seen
But I'm A Cheerleader was a cultural reset, TBH.
Whether you're in the mood for a warm and fuzzy romance movie or need a good laugh from a classic teen movie, finding one that accurately depicts queer narratives in a positive light could be a little hard to come by. While most LGBTQ+ films have captured the hardships that come with queerness over the years, finding relatable, lighthearted flicks for a happy vibe has become more of a challenging mission than a thoughtless task.
That's where we come in. We've curated a list of some of the best lesbian movies that do the WLW community justice. From the raunchy wit of Olivia Wilde's directorial debut, Booksmart, to Natasha Lyonne and RuPaul's campy Y2K comedy, But I'm A Cheerleader, these lesbian flicks will give you a good laugh and maybe even inspire your next great love story.
While there are plenty of lighthearted flicks to add to your queue, there are some picks here, like Happiest Season and The Miseducation of Cameron Price, that hone in on tough topics like being in the closet or forced conversion therapy, but they show that happiness can still come out of these experiences. So, grab your fave snack and get the Roku ready, because you won't want to miss these lesbian movies.
The Favourite (2018)
Olivia Colman won the Oscar in 2019 for her role as Queen Anne, an 18th century English monarch who develops a relationship with a new servant named Abigail, which upsets the Queen's close friend and lover, Lady Sarah.
Blue Is the Warmest Color (2013)
This French film follows the budding relationship between Adèle and Emma, exploring Adèle's high school years with Emma through her early adult ones as a schoolteacher. It's based on Jul Maroh's graphic novel of the same name.
Yes, God, Yes (2019)
Natalia Dyer from Stranger Things stars as Alice, a naïve Catholic school girl who discovers masturbation and tries to pray the urge away for her "sins." She attends a religious retreat and meets a lesbian at a bar who assuages Alice's guilty conscience and fear of eternal damnation over her newfound sexual desires.
MORE: Stranger Things Star Natalia Dyer Reveals Which Cast Member is Most Likely to Ghost a Date
Saving Face (2004)
Wil, a gay Chinese-American, is keeping her sexuality a secret from her widowed mother and her traditional grandparents. However, after Wil learns her nearly 50-year-old mother is pregnant — and isn't saying who the father is — both mother and daughter must learn how to handle their secret loves that go against cultural expectations.
Duck Butter (2018)
Two women who are fed up with dating and all the BS that goes with it make a pact to spend the next 24 hours together, having sex on every hour, as a type of experiment to create a new type of intimacy.
Disobedience (2017)
Shunned by her Orthodox Jewish community when she was younger for liking another girl, Ronit returns home years later after her father died. When she's back in that environment, she and her old crush reunite and explore their sexualities while trying to navigate their faith.
Pariah (2011)
Lesbian teenager Alike lives in Brooklyn with her family and is hoping to find a lover, but she's unsure how much of her sexuality she should share with her parents and younger sister. When Alike meets Bina, a girl from her church, she develops a crush on her new friend.
My First Summer (2020)
After the death of her mother, Claudia camps out in an isolated property, fending for herself and hiding from social services. Not long after, however, Claudia meets Grace, whose family life is not ideal, either. Together, the two bond and develop a relationship over the summer.
First Girl I Loved (2016)
Anne has a crush on popular girl named Sasha. Thinking she can confide in her guy friend, Clifton, Anne shares her romantic feelings for Sasha. What Anne doesn't know is that Clifton secretly likes her, and he tries to get in the way of any kind of relationship brewing between Anne and Sasha.
Chasing Amy (1997)
Holden, a comic book artist, falls for a fellow comic book artist named Amy. Unfortunately for Holden, Amy is a lesbian and not interested in him romantically.
The Watermelon Woman (1996)
Cheryl, a Black lesbian aspiring filmmaker, investigates the life of The Watermelon Woman, a Black actress from the 1930s who portrayed 'mammy' archetypes. The 'mammy' persona was a racial caricature of Black women.
The Carmilla Movie (2017)
This movie picks up five years after the Carmilla web series (based on the 1872 Gothic novella of the same name) ends.
After spending a long time as a vampire, Carmilla is a human again and enjoying that life, while Laura is trying to jumpstart her journalism career. Things seem to be going well for the couple... until Carmilla's vampirism appears to start up again.
Dating Amber (2020)
Set in Ireland in the mid-90s, this comedy follows friends Eddie and Amber, both gay, who decide to present themselves as a (pretend) straight couple in order to fit in with their rural Irish town.
Ride or Die (2021)
In this Japanese thriller, Rei helps the woman she's had a crush on for years escape her abusive husband. As they venture on their journey, their feelings for each other begin to ignite.
Carol (2015)
In Cate Blanchett's Oscar-nominated role as Carol, she plays a photographer who develops a relationship with an older woman during the 1950s.
Let It Snow (2019)
Technically, this is a Christmas movie, but you can watch it any time of the year!
After a snowstorm forces a group of friends to shelter together on Christmas Eve, drama start heating up and nothing will be the same as their lives intertwine. This Netflix movie is based on the YA novel Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances by John Green, Lauren Myracle, Maureen Johnson.
The movie features a queer romance between a lesbian couple that is super heartwarming. This particular storyline wasn't part of the original novel, according to BuzzFeed, and co-author Lauren Myracle told the outlet, "Having a heteronormative story all around would be abnormal. It would be weird," adding, "the version in the movie is much more satisfying."
But I'm A Cheerleader (1999)
In this satirical Y2K flick, Natasha Lyonne plays Megan, a lesbian cheerleader whose parents send her to conversion therapy. RuPaul (yes, the drag performer behind RuPaul's Drag Race) also stars in this movie as a "straight" man trying to convert others. If you're looking for a good laugh, this campy comedy is the perfect movie to watch with friends.
Booksmart (2019)
Best friends Amy and Molly spent all of high school focusing on their grades. On the night of their graduation, the best friends cram four years of experiences into one night, like partying with their peers. Amy, who's been out for two years, also kisses a girl for the first time with encouragement from her BFF.
The Half of It (2020)
Introvert Ellie Chu helps her non-English speaking father pay the bills by ghostwriting papers for other students at her school. When a jock named Paul asks Ellie to help him get a girl named Aster with romantic letters, Ellie starts catching feelings for her, too.
The Color Purple (1985)
Steven Spielberg's take on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name is a classic for a reason. Set in the 1900s, Celia has faced sexual abuse from her father and a man to whom her father gave her away. Later in life, Celia forms a meaningful connection with a showgirl named Shug and their romance helps her lead a more positive life.
Sam is an assistant news editor at Cosmo, covering all things pop culture, entertainment, and celebrity news. She previously covered those same topics along with health, lifestyle, and beauty at Seventeen. When she isn't draping her cheeks in blush, you can probably find her live-tweeting awards shows or making SwiftToks.
Stacey Grant is a senior editor at Seventeen who runs the brand's Snapchat Discover channel. She also covers entertainment topics specializing in nostalgia, such as classic '90s and '00s Disney Channel and Nickelodeon content.
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