Sapphic Circle November 23rd, 2025: Lesbian Film Festivals

Meeting Link

For a list of Sapphic Circle meeting dates this fall, please click here.
We meet on specified Sundays at 12-1:30pm PST/3-4:30pm EST/8-9:30pm UTC.

SAPPHIC CIRCLE ZOOM LINK

Sapphic Circle is a space for lesbians to come together for thoughtful discussions on a variety of topics. We seek to build lesbian community through engaging in lesbian ideas, politics, media, and more!

Gathering To See Ourselves

In many of our past Sapphic Circles, lesbian films and lesbian film festivals have come up. Some of our members have attended The London Lesbian Film Festival in Canada and Cinema Systers in the US, so I've endeavoured to broaden our horizons. This week we'll be talking about lesbian and/or feminist film festivals from around the world and what they mean to us. Come ready with some lesbian movie recommendations to share!

"Lesbians have been an acutely under-represented voice in the film industry. The mission of this festival is to strengthen, enrich and connect this diverse community of women/womyn, and provide an outlet for their art. We intend to build bridges among audiences, filmmakers and the community at large through the exhibition of Lesbian produced films and other events scheduled throughout the weekend." (AfterEllen, 2018).

Buy Your Tickets

London Lesbian Film Festival - London, Ontario, Canada

Join us for the 33rd annual London Lesbian Film Festival — the longest-running lesbian film festival in North America and the only one of its kind in Canada!

Get ready for a weekend filled with bold storytelling, creative brilliance, and a vibrant celebration of queer diversity. It’s more than just films — it’s about connection, community, and pure queer joy. Don’t miss the magic!

Cinema Systers Film Festival - Peducah, Kentucky, USA

Our mission is to uplift the visions and voices of lesbian filmmakers, and to provide a dedicated space to publicly showcase their art.

We intend to build bridges among audiences, filmmakers and the community at large, celebrate diversity, and inspire audiences to explore new perspectives.

"Lesbian filmmakers put this festival at the top of your list, and if you are accepted make sure you attend! It is an extremely well run festival and we could not have asked for more. We really appreciated the warm and open atmosphere. In addition to the films, the parties and panels were interesting and lots of fun. The facilities where the events were held were great. It is a great festival to interact with other filmmakers and the audience." (Lisa Plourde, Filmmarker).

SaFFlicks Film Fest - UK

A month long festival of sapphic film, incorporating International Coming Out Day with a hand-picked selection of sapphic films. Featuring 21 short films and 2 feature films from across the globe, carefully curated by a team of queer women. There is something for everyone this October at the SaFFlicks Film Festival!

31 days, 21 short films, 2 feature films - all proudly sapphic and ready for you to watch and share to celebrate being out or being an ally.

Lesbian Focused, Feminist Film Festivals

IMMAGINARIA International Independent Film Festival - Bologna, Italy

IMMAGINARIA is the first International Independent Film Festival in Italy with a lesbian and feminist theme. It was founded in Bologna (1993) by the Lesbian Cultural Association Visibilia.

For 25 years our goal has been always the same: narrating lives, culture, art and politics of present and past, lesbian, feminist, bold and rebellious women, committed to building a different world.

Immaginaria narrates those women through the eyes of independent female directors, offering a film selection from all over the world, whose authors are women. But, first of all, we would like to discover stories from our country, to launch them on an international scene.

In order to promote the independent female filmmakers and directors production and their works diffusion, Immaginaria launches “Donne in Corto” (“Women in Short”), its first Short Italian Contest, dedicated to shorts with a lesbian or feminist theme.

Cineffable - Festival international du film lesbien et feministe - Paris, France

Being visible is about letting others see us. It is also about seeing ourselves, being aware of our strength and using it. We don't have to ask for the right to exist if we are already here! We are what we show ourselves to be, alone or in a couple, in private places or public places and in our thousands...

The festival is a crossroad of ideas, a catalyst. Together we make it happen: festival goers and organisers, we put on a great show. The festival is a stage, a huge stage where lesbians are at the centre of the universe.

Every year we organise this women and/or lesbians festival. A festival of films by women film-makers, films for lesbians and films by lesbians. The festival is an annual rendez-vous, an empowering moment when we show images of lesbians and feminist perspectives, when we engage in debates, put on an art exhibition, enjoy an opening gala concert and have a party.

Bonus - A Lesbian Streaming Service

Lesflicks - the home of authentic sapphic stories on screen

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Questions To Consider

What was the first lesbian film you ever saw? What meaning did you take away from it?
What are your favourite lesbian films?
What was the worst worst lesbian film you've ever seen?
What is the most obscure or interesting lesbian film you've seen?
Are there any foreign lesbian films that you would recommend?
What's the difference to you, between watching a lesbian movie with lesbians, or in a mixed group?
Do you have a preference for mainstream lesbian movies, or indie films? What's the difference to you?
How much consideration do you put into who wrote, directed, produced or started in a lesbian film, when considering watching it or recommending it?
Have you ever been to a lesbian film festival? What was that experience like?