Lesbian Sapphic FLICKS

The Charlotte Museum Te Whare Takatāpui-Wāhine o Aotearoa will be a hosting film festival featuring a marvellous and fascinating variety of lesbian sapphic movies, short films, TV shows, and documentaries.

To celebrate lesbian sapphic film and TV we will be looking back at some of the defining films and TV shows that represented and depicted our vibrant herstory and cultural heritage, as well as screening fresh content about our communities.

Traditionally LGBTIQ+/ Queer/ Rainbow+ film festivals belonged to a film culture that favoured alternative cinema over commercially driven mainstream film and TV. The festivals as events impacted us, as the audience in a way that differed significantly from a regular ‘night out at the movies’. It was powerful and identity-affirming to view rainbow+ counter-culture in public spheres, and festivals were often the only public space (especially per-internet) where we could see our own identities and culture, politics and history/ herstory/ their-story. And a significant part of film festivals was the liveness of the screening events due to the presence of our communities as audiences, filmmakers, and critics, which created a sense of belonging and supported the formation of community. Film Festivals provided opportunities for fringe content, alternative voices and a diverse viewpoint often censored out or judged ‘inappropriate’ for distribution to mainstream cinemas, reminding us that our history/ herstory/ their-story cannot be told in a linear, collective narrative.

During February at the museum our exhibition space will become a mini theatre, with several smaller viewing stations showing an awesome variety of content that will screen all day. There will be a full schedule of content and screening times available on our website. And we will be taking requests! (please email us)

Events scheduled to date: (will be updated)

Opening event: Thursday 1st February 5.30-8pm (free)

Join us to open the festival and an exhibition from our collections about lesbian and sapphic film and TV.

Lesbians in Film/TV panel discussion: Saturday 17 February 5.30-6.30pm (ticketed event)

Louise Lever film screening: Saturday 17 February 7pm (ticketed event)

Film Premiere: Saturday 24 February from 4pm (free)

The event with include the premiere of the film 'Out of the Closets' a short film produced by the museum.

Friday 2 February - Saturday 2nd March (free) Everyday during our open hours we will be screening films, shorts, docos and TV programmes at several viewing stations. Please come along to enjoy the content in a relaxed, peaceful space.

The Charlotte Museum is a safe and inclusive community space and all are welcome at anytime to visit.