WINNER: Best Feature Film Award — DragonCon 2012

Co-written by out lesbian musician Shelley Doty and director GB Hajim, this gorgeous animated sci-fi drama portrays the power of love between two women. It is the 29th century on Jupiter’s moon, Ganymede. Our hero Naia (prolific voice actress Tara Strong) is a feisty, young singer-songwriter who falls in love with the beautiful saxophonist Parker (Claudia Black — “Farscape” and “Stargate SG-1”). The two embark on their new relationship and form a new band as they fight for their freedom.

“Strange Frame” is brilliantly animated and co-stars a terrific array of voice talents including Tim Curry, Cree Summer, Juliet Landau, Ron Glass, Alan Tudyk, Michael Dorn, Claudia Christian and George Takei.

“’Strange Frame’ boldly brings an epic, futuristic lesbian drama to creative life with fresh animation.” —SheWired

“The most original queer film that’s touched my DVD player in years… [An] ode to the power of love and music and freedom.” — Danielle Riendeau, AfterEllen.com

The post Strange Frame first appeared on Lesbian.com.

By Farihah Zaman
special to Lesbian.com

At the mere mention of “Desert Hearts,” admirers of the film are liable to clutch their chests and instantly light up, eager for a moment
 of connection over Donna Deitch’s groundbreaking yet underseen 1986 romance. This is rather appropriate for a movie that itself so deftly portrays the need for connection, the search for “someone that counts,” in the words of one of its leading ladies, Cay (Patricia Charbonneau), a reckless twentysomething sculptor with only the vaguest of ambitions and no idea where to direct them. The other lead, the professor Vivian (Helen Shaver), is a somewhat older and more guarded woman who is perhaps more self-assured than Cay but also less self-aware, successful in work but ignorant of her own desires. This deceptively simple good-girl-meets-bad-girl story might have made it all too easy for the film to fall into the trap of lowest-common- denominator melodrama or, worse, sensationalist same-sex- relationship stereotyping. Instead, Deitch’s astonishingly beautiful first and only narrative feature is a study in nuance, one that courses with raw emotions beneath its measured surface.

“Desert Hearts” is a seminal work of American independent cinema, and its particular significance to the queer, and especially lesbian, film canon cannot be overstated. And it is a measure of just how path-breaking the film was that, more than thirty years after its release, movies that depict queerness as a meaningful but not all-consuming aspect of characters’ lives continue to feel revolutionary. Deitch’s film is an indisputable forerunner of recent critically lauded depictions of same-sex love like Carol and Moonlight—films that also defiantly use the cinematic language of epic drama despite the perceived “otherness” of their protagonists. Furthermore, there is the fact that Deitch was a lesbian woman given the all-too-rare opportunity to tell the story of women who share her desires. In a moment of extreme minority marginalization in public sentiment and concrete legislation alike, representation in front of and behind the camera is obviously crucial to stemming a dangerous backslide toward reductive, if not outright bigoted, perceptions of queer relationships. In this case, Deitch’s identity is likely one of the reasons for her film’s enduring complexity, its particular combination of the achingly romantic and the ferociously subversive.

In fact, “Desert Hearts” has a general spirit of rebellion, beyond its depiction of queerness, that perfectly suits its reimagining of the western genre. Deitch has said that the film’s central theme is risk, the emotional vulnerability required to give in to a romantic relationship, with the casino Cay works in acting as a clear metaphor. But the film is also about women looking for fulfillment— each in her own way—with romantic love presented as only part of that potential fulfillment. Although Cay and Vivian’s relationship seems inevitable, the film never suggests that in each other’s arms they have reached the end of their respective journeys, as is often the case for female characters of all sexual orientations. Vivian still feels compelled to leave Reno once her quickie divorce is finalized, and while it seems as though Cay will join her (at least for one more train stop … and then, who can say?), this decision appears to be as much about her finding the strength to leave her small-town support system—again, learning to gamble in order to open herself up to life’s many possibilities—as it is about following the woman who has given her the courage to do so.

There is also a refreshingly open approach to identity and relationships throughout the film, not just in its handling of lesbian love. For one thing, the word “lesbian” is never uttered, leading the viewer to the conclusion—which today seems rather contemporary—that Vivian’s attraction to Cay does not automatically define her as gay. While Cay appears to be exclusively interested in other women, she also doesn’t feel the need to label herself. Of a brief affair with a male colleague who still holds a torch for her, she says, “I allowed myself to get attracted to his attraction to me”—a frank yet elegant way of expressing that matters of sexual identity and the rules of attraction are rarely cut-and-dried.

“Desert Hearts,” then, pulses with a sense of possibility, a sense that the boundaries that traditionally define relationships have been gently pushed away, a feeling further reinforced by the wide-open expanses—the mountains, lakes, and desert—of the film’s natural backdrop. After all, Deitch has discovered here the people and stories that have often been relegated to the background themselves. With women driving the narrative, having ownership over their lives, and appearing in nearly every scene, the Wild West, typically one giant sandpit of a boys’ club, has been reclaimed for them.

Here, the patron saint of broken hearts is Patsy Cline , not Hank Williams. Here, the lone figure seen forging a path on the dusty trail is a woman trying to find herself, not a cowboy in search of
a wife. Here, there is room for all manner of defiant, inexplicable, unclassifiable loves, led on into the desert of promise by the pioneer Donna Deitch.

Own it now on Blu-Ray or DVD from WolfeVideo.com.

The post The legacy of ‘Desert Hearts’ first appeared on Lesbian.com.

Wedding planner Lauren Hilliard weaves fairytales out of possibilities. It’s her business and she’s good at it.

Her brides love her for making their dreams come true, but she’s not managed to make the magic happen for herself — yet.

Trouble is, Lauren’s in love with her best friend and has been for 11 hopeless years. Years in which she’s secretly imagined the fairytale of possibilities if she had the courage to speak … which she hasn’t. So she doesn’t. And she won’t.

But what if the feelings are mutual?

Cue the latest magical rom-com from best-selling, award-winning author Kiki Archer.

Buy the book here:
Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0721QDM5L
Amazon.co.uk: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0721QDM5L

The post ‘A Fairytale of Possibilities:’ A new lesbian rom-com from acclaimed author Kiki Archer first appeared on Lesbian.com.

Image via Photopin*

BY NATASIA LANGFELDER
Lesbian.com

It’s already August and summer is flying by. But the weather is still warm and it’s prime “sit outside and read” time season. There’s still time to soak in some sun and enjoy some good queer stories.

1. “The Miseducation of Cameron Post” by Emily M. Danforth

This ‘coming of age’ novel is a refreshing departure from traditional coming of age novels. It definitely has some of the hallmark of it’s predecessors, starting with a crush on a straight girl, conservative relatives and born-again Christian disapproval. However, Cameron Post is a relatable protagonist whose personality is able to elevate the book to the next level. Danforth leads readers to places they didn’t expect to go in her debut novel.

2. “The Adaptation Series” by Malinda Lo

“Adaptation” and it’s sequel, “Inheritance” are technically for ‘young adults,’ but anyone who enjoyed “The Hunger Games” and “Divergent” will love “The Adaptation Series.” Lo’s story follows protagonist Reese as she juggles government conspiracies, aliens, bisexuality and polyamory. This fast and fun read is perfect for a summer weekend.

3. “Under the Mink” by Lisa E. Davis

Lesbians, drag kings, murder, the mob- what more do you need? Davis takes readers back in time to the way our lesbian foremother’s lived in 1949. Read our review for all the reasons to read “Under the Mink.”

4. “Ammonite” by Nicola Griffith 

Imagine an entire planet, solely occupied by women- that’s what you are going to get in Nicola Griffith’s “Ammonite.” In Griffith’s carefully crafted world, women are friends, family members, enemies, lovers and parents. It’s a pleasure to read about two woman reproduction and to witness a world where women can, and have to, fill all roles- both traditionally masculine and female to keep their world running. This vision is reason alone to read this book- but Griffith also throws in intergalactic colonists who threaten this planet’s entire existence and you have a real page turner.

5. “The Argonauts” by Maggie Nelson

Maggie Nelson is an established poet and non-fiction writer. “The Argonauts” is her first treatise on her own queerness and her relationship with genderqueer artist Harry Dodge. “The Argonauts” reads like poetry and tackles issues of sexuality, long term relationships, queer parenthood, and gender.

6. “The Inheritance Trilogy” by N.K. Jemisin

This trilogy starts with it’s protagonist, Yeine, being thrown from her rural hometown into the royal palace of a bustling kingdom, that is bursting with magic and gods. Fantasy books have a huge problem with whitewashing protagonists and entire worlds. Jemisin’s world includes people of all colors and genders, which is a breath of fresh air. Okay, so here’s the thing with this Trilogy, there’s a lot of straight people sex and romance. But, by the third book, Jemisin starts playing with gender and queerness in a way that both makes sense in the story and is extremely satisfying.

Happy reading! Read any of these already? Let us know what you thought in the comments!

*photo credit: On a pink, green, and white cloud, two young women reading a book at Greenlake, with a daisy chain in a field of flowers, Seattle, Washington, USA via photopin (license)

The post 6 Can’t Miss Queer Summer Beach Reads first appeared on Lesbian.com.

In it’s first day, award-winning Sapphire Books author Isabella’s “Forever Faithful” received six five-star reviews. The second novel in a new romance series, “Forever Faithful,” follows on the success of “Always Faithful,” both novels follow the love story of Nic and Claire set against the backdrop of Nic’s demanding military career.

Pick up your copy at Amazon.com.

Here’s the summary:

Life is what happens when you make other plans, and Nic and Claire have just found out that life and the Marine Corps have other plans for their lives.

Nic Caldwell has served her country, met the woman of her dreams, and has reached the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. She’s studying at one of the nation’s most prestigious military universities, setting her sights on a research position after graduation. Things couldn’t be better and then it happens; a sudden assignment to Afghanistan derails any thoughts of marriage and wedded bliss. Another combat zone, another tragedy, and Nic suddenly finds herself fighting for her life.

Claire Monroe loves her new life in Monterey. She’s finally where she wants to be, getting ready to start her master’s program at the local university, watching her daughter, Grace, growing up, and getting ready to marry the love of her life. What could possibly derail a perfect life? The Marine Corps.

Will Nic survive Afghanistan? Can Claire step up and be the strength in their relationship? Or will this overseas assignment and a catastrophic accident divide their once happy home?

The post ‘Forever Faithful’ by Isabella debuts to rave reviews first appeared on Lesbian.com.