In years past, a good lesbian movie was hard to find. But thanks to streaming services like Netflix, we’re seeing more films that feature lesbian, queer, and bisexual protagonists falling in love in adorable rom-coms, breaking up in a tearjerker, or just dancing and singing their way through a Midwestern high school prom. These films offer audiences a chance to see characters, who have often been left off-screen, just living their lives; they offer representation to a large slice of the population frequently ignored by Hollywood.
The good news? The tide is slowly turning. According to GLAAD’s 2023 Studio Responsibility Index, more LGBTQ+ characters were prominently included in studio-backed feature films in 2022 than in the previous 11 years of the study's existence. The numbers dipped slightly in the 2024 Studio Responsibility Index, but there continues to be an increase in LGBTQ+ characters having over 10 minutes of screentime. However, the data also makes clear that the film industry still has a way to go, as a whopping 72.7 percent of major studio- and streamer-backed films did not include any LGBTQ+ representation. So it’s more important than ever to stream lesbian-centric TV shows and films, promote their numbers, and open up dialogues on the future of lesbian filmmaking—how it can be even better, more inclusive, and more thought-provoking.
To start, check out these lesbian movies on Netflix. You'll find super steamy films like Duck Butter, easy-to-watch teen flicks like The Prom, and heartfelt documentaries like Tig (and just about every genre in between).
Drama
'Anne+: The Film' (2021)
Based on the Dutch web series ANNE+, this feature film follows Anne, a 20-something lesbian (Hanna van Vliet) in Amsterdam, as she deals with writer’s block, an impending move to Montreal, and a tricky relationship with her ex, which could change her whole life. You can skip the web series and jump into this flick, but we recommend watching Anne’s entire trajectory.
'Beauty' (2022)
On the cusp of fame in the late 1970s, the titular Beauty (Gracie Marie Bradley) must decide if she wants to choose her public life and family or her girlfriend. Screenwriter Lena Waithe loosely based the plot on Whitney Houston’s dilemma and rise, and portrays the stakes of staying in the closet versus following a dream. Niecy Nash plays Beauty’s mom.
'Bruised' (2021)
Directed by and starring Halle Berry, this 2020 sports epic follows the rise (and fall) of fictional MMA fighter Jackie Justice, a mom struggling in inner-city Newark. It’s a heavy film, and far from a romance, but there’s some juicy, complicated queer storytelling in Jackie’s romance with her lesbian trainer (Sheila Atim).
'It's Only Life After All' (2023)
This highly anticipated two-hour doc on legendary American folk duo Indigo Girls debuted in 2023 and is such a comfort watch. The movie melds archival rehearsal, tour, and media footage with commentary on the impact the openly lesbian musicians had on the greater culture during their rise in the 1990s.
'NYAD' (2023)
Based on the true story of distance swimmer Diana Nyad (Annette Bening) training to complete a record-breaking swim from Cuba to Florida, this high-stakes drama is a well-paced sports biopic with a memorable lesbian friendship. Nyad’s coach, Bonnie Stoll (Jodie Foster), plays a pivotal role in her personal and professional life, and the scenes between the two powerhouse actors are fantastic.
'The Persian Version' (2023)
This Sundance favorite, directed by Maryam Keshavaraz, subverts expectations at every turn. When Leila's (Layla Mohammadi) huge Iranian-American family reunites in New York City ahead of her father's heart transplant, the reveal of a huge secret uncovers the parallels between Leila's unconventional life and her immigrant mother Shireen's (Niousha Noor) past.
'A Secret Love' (2020)
Produced by Ryan Murphy, this documentary is about a former All-American Girls League baseball player named Terry Donahue and her partner, interior designer Pat Henschel, who had a seven-decade relationship that they kept a secret from their families the entire time. It’s a beautiful love story celebrating the couple while reminding us how far things have come for LGBTQIA+ people in America.
'Tig' (2015)
Part documentary, part stand-up comedy special, this unique film follows comedian Tig Notaro as she heals from sickness, loses her mother, and falls in love with her partner. It’s emotional, funny, and highly entertaining; you won’t just watch it once. Want more Tig jokes? Her 2018 comedy special Happy to Be Here is also streaming on Netflix.
'The Valley of a Thousand Hills' (2022)
This Zulu language film is a lesbian love story set in the highly patriarchal, rural South African province of KwaZulu-Natal. Nosipho (Mandisa Vilakazi) is a role model for her conservative community as the chief's daughter, so she and Thenjiwe (Sibongokuhle Nkosi) keep their relationship a secret. When Nosipho's father declares that she must marry, she has to decide whether to fulfill her duty or risk her life to follow her heart.
Comedy
'Do Revenge' (2022)
This dark-comedy thriller about two high-school girls (Camila Mendes and Maya Hawke) who unite for a truly twisted revenge saga is an updated take on the beloved teen flicks of the '90s and 2000s. If that doesn't sound fun enough, the revamp also includes centering Eleanor (Hawke) as an out-and-proud, morally dubious lesbian who gets her own love story amid all the scheming.
'Duck Butter' (2018)
This indie film from 2018 was written by and stars Alia Shawkat and Laia Costa as two women who meet at a bar and decide to go through all the stages of an intense romance within just 24 hours. No U-Haul required.
'The Half of It' (2020)
Filmmaker Alice Wu’s outstanding follow-up to her early aughts rom-com, Saving Face, received high acclaim when it debuted on Netflix in spring 2020. Set in a small town, this movie follows social loner Ellie Chu (Leah Lewis) who agrees to ghostwrite a jock’s (Daniel Diemer) love letter to a girl (Alexxis Lemire) who Ellie also has a crush on. It’s heartwarming chaos from there on out.
'I'm Not Okay With This' (2020)
Technically, this is a one-season Netflix original series, but the seven episodes watch like a movie and can easily be binged in a three-hour sitting. Adapted from a graphic novel of the same name by Charles Forsman, this show follows 17-year-old Syd (Sophia Lillis) as she grapples with a crush, questions about her sexuality, and, naturally, some scarily destructive superpowers.
'The Prom' (2020)
Ryan Murphy’s big movie musical, adapted from the Broadway show of the same name, premiered in December 2020 and has left many singing the bubbly soundtrack since. The star-studded cast includes Nicole Kidman and Meryl Streep as Broadway stars who travel to Indiana to advocate for a student when she's told she's not allowed to bring her girlfriend to the senior prom. The dance numbers are glitzy, the songs are catchy, and the straight-from-the-headlines plot will be relatable for LBGTQ+ and allied viewers alike.
'So My Grandma’s a Lesbian!' (2019)
In this Spanish film, two women in their 70s come out to their families and reveal their plans to get married. It comes as a bit of a shocker—an entertaining shocker—to say the least.
Romance
'Carol' (2015)
Arguably the best lesbian movie of all time, this 2016 drama based on Patricia Highsmith’s novel The Price of Salt stars Rooney Mara (as Therese) and Cate Blanchett (the titular Carol) in a beautifully shot Christmastime age gap romance circa the 1950s. Prepare for plenty of sexual tension, lesbian longing, and a storyline that doesn’t end in despair.
'Elisa & Marcela' (2019)
A gorgeous period film about two women (Natalia de Molina and Greta Fernández) in 1901 Spain who want to get married, so one adopts a male identity so they can pose as a heterosexual couple. Based on a true story about the first recorded same-sex marriage in Spain, it’s a heart-wrenching but ultimately beautiful film about what women had to face to be together not so long ago. It ends with a hopeful postscript about how same-sex marriage was legalized in Spain in 2005.
'Feel Good' (2021)
Yes, this is a series, but the two seasons are the same length as a movie duology and more than worth the runtime. This semi-autobiographical comedy stars Mae Martin as a recovering drug addict living in the U.K. and struggling with both sobriety and their relationship with George (Charlotte Ritchie), who previously identified as straight and is hesitant to come out.
'How I Felt When I Saw That Girl' ('Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga') (2019)
In the first-ever mainstream LGBTQ+ film in India, director Shelly Chopra Dhar unfurls an uproarious, layered rom-com with a lesbian romance at its center. As Sweety Chaudhary (Sonam Kapoor) faces constant demands from her family to get married, she (platonically) bonds with a new suitor, struggling playwright Sahil Mirza (Rajkummar Rao), while keeping a major secret. It may take a while, but once Sweety and her lover Kuhu (Regina Cassandra) take center stage, the result is magic.
'Loving Annabelle' (2006)
A classic in the early-aughts indie lesbian canon (millennials get it), Loving Annabelle is a very not HR-endorsed story about the chemistry between a young poetry teacher (Diane Gaidry) and a student (Erin Kelly), at, where else, a Catholic school. It’s lusty, a little cringeworthy, a little cute, and at less than an hour and a half, a break from reality.
'To Each, Her Own' (2018)
A young Jewish woman, Simone (Sarah Stern), finally feels ready to tell her family that her roommate (Julia Piaton) is more than her roommate. But then she finds herself falling for the male chef (Jean-Christophe Folly) at her local lunch spot. It's a French version of the classic bisexual indie film Kissing Jessica Stein but stands on its own as a fun (and controversial) story of a confused queer woman in love.
Horror
The 'Fear Street' Trilogy (2021)
Both fans of classic horror movies and sapphic romance lovers can find a lot to love in Netflix's trilogy based on the Fear Street books. In addition to being a centuries-spanning ode to the slasher genre, the three movies all center on a lesbian couple who are not monsters or victims, but the heroes of the whole saga.
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