Lesbian film critic Sofia De Vera merges academic expertise with a heartfelt focus on queer cinema, advocating for meaningful LGBTQIA+ narratives through 15 years of reflective and celebratory film criticism.
Movies are one of our favorite weekend activities, especially once the cooler weather starts drawing in. There’s nothing better than snuggling up on the couch with some popcorn and a glass of wine to enjoy a good raunchy movie – especially if it’s one of these best lesbian sex movies!
There is something that the general public has become more aware of when it comes to the portrayal of the LGBT community in media: representation matters. Ever since our childhoods, we as people forge our identity and then validate it by looking at the world around us.
There is no denying that media is a big part of what we see in that age and even later in life: watching certain films, and shows and even listening to musical artists and their songs can be of really big help in order to figure out who we are. Yet sometimes it’s some of the most necessary references, the things that would be incredibly helpful for us to see, that are the most difficult to find.
The LGBT community has seen its existence be systematically denied by a media landscape of conservative values. If queer folks ever were acknowledged by the media, it was in order to cast them in a negative light.
This is most true for lesbian women: from tragic sapphic characters who can’t have a happy ending to villainous lesbians who hate men and want to see the world burn. One could even say that bad representation is actually worse than no representation at all: representation matters, not only in that it is done, but in how it’s done.
That’s why, when looking for the best lesbian sex scenes in films, one should look at how these scenes portray lesbianism and what do they tell us about women. The movies in this list are made with that in mind: they show women of all shapes and sizes, of all colors, and they show them with love. Each of them paints a different depiction of lesbian love, shown through the eyes of their creators. But each of them is sure to prick your interest.
No more tokenism! So slip out of those sandals, log out of the dating apps, and get comfy with your favorite t-shirt on the couch for these lesbian sex movies… This is going to be good!
Wondering where to watch? It depends on where you live in the world and which streaming services you have. We link to the streaming service we watch on in each case - be it Netflix, Amazon Prime, Apply TV+, or elsewhere.
You can get one month free of Amazon Pride (or a 6-month trial for students) of Amazon Prime and also get immediate access to FREE Two Day shipping, Amazon Video, and Music. While you won't be charged for your free trial, you'll be upgraded to a paid membership plan automatically at the end of the trial period - though if you have already binged all these, you could just cancel before the trial ends.
Apple TV+ also has a one-week trial, and Hulu has a one-month trial (which can be bundled with Disney!). Another option might be using a VPN to access Netflix titles locked to other regions. Netflix is now available in more than 190 countries worldwide and each country has a different library and availability. US Netflix is (understandably) one of the best.
While we wish everything could just be in one place - for now, it seems these are the best streaming platforms to watch on.
In this article we will cover...
The Handmaiden [아가씨] (2016)
The Handmaiden is one of the best lesbian films ever made. It is, in fact, on the way to becoming one of the most awarded lesbian films of all time: it was both praised at the Cannes Festival and Sitges. Loosely based on a book by Sarah Waters, the film sees the return of renowned director Park Chan-Wook, who manages to turn Water’s Victorian era story into one set in Korea during the Japanese invasion of the 1930s.
This complex and multi-layered film sees a wealthy Japanese family, made up of a young lady, Lady Hideko (Kim Min-hee) and her uncle, Kouzuki (Cho Jin-woong), who decided to settle in South Korea. There, a beautiful mansion full of courtyards, gardens and servants awaits them.
Seeking the service from a maid to care for Hideko, the mischievous Sook-hee (Kim Tae-ri) becomes one of the servants. She’s a young woman who has earned her living stealing from a gang of Japanese thieves, and now she has been given a task: to facilitate the entry of a false count named Fujiwara (Ha Jung-woo), who is about to steal all of Hideko’s inheritance. However, Sook-hee will find that she has lots in common with Lady Hideko, and their feelings for each other may get in the way of her mission.
The film was highly praised on all accounts, but the acting is perhaps it’s best aspect. Kim Min-hee and Kim Tae-ri both have an electric presence and lots of chemistry. This shows very clearly on the most intimate scenes of the movie: the sex scene the two of them share, for example, begins with lots of tension and ends with tons of delight, all conveyed through their amazing acting.
While there’s a strange aspect to the way love is portrayed in this film, surely dependent on Chan-Wook’s unusual style, the sex scenes in The Handmaiden are some of the bests you’ll ever see.
High Art (1998)
High Art, by Lisa Cholodenko, tells the story of Syd (Radha Mitchell), a young woman who aspires to work as an editor in an art magazine. While she lives with her boyfriend James, she finds her relationship boring.
Her whole life changes when she meets her neighbor: Syd finds water dripping from the apartment above, so she decides to visit her upstairs neighbor, who turns out to be a beautiful woman by the name of Lucy Berliner (Ally Sheedy). She’s a creative photographer with a mysterious past. Feeling lonely, Syd immediately falls in love with her.
The film shows them getting closer, and a tough relationship develops between these two. One full of guilt and recriminations, made worse by Lucy’s heroin addiction. Yet Syd can’t seem to escape her attraction to her sensual nature.
The two of them become much more entangled when Syd convinces the editor of the magazine to feature Lucy’s work. The editor actually recognizes Lucy’s name, since she’d been a famous artist before. As they reach this deal, the relationship between the two women becomes much closer.
Below Her Mouth (2017)
Below Her Mouth was directed by Abril Mullen and produced by an all-female crew. It’s probably the most erotic film in the list and for a good reason: the production team did an amazing job at capturing the most arousing aspects of a lesbian relationship. Since they are all women (and many of them lesbians), the film is completely shown through the female-gaze: not objectifying, but elevating its actresses and enhancing astounding performances.
The film is mostly composed of lesbian sex scenes so couldn’t be skipped from any self-respecting list of best lesbian sex movies. And given that there are a lot of sex scenes in the film, it’s no surprise that they chose to vary the locations: some take place in a bedroom, but lots were shot outdoors. Below Her Mouth portrays a kind of passion that can’t wait for the right time and place. It’s a wild and sensual ride.
The actual plot of the film goes as follows: two beautiful yet disparate women beet in a bar. There’s Dallas (played by famous model Erika Linder), an artist who owns her own business and has just broken up with her latest girlfriend, and Jasmine (Natalie Krill), a successful fashion editor, living with her fiancé Rile in a fantastic house.
It is clear from the first moment that there is an immediate attraction between them but Jasmine rejects all the attempts that Dallas makes to take her out. But the straight protagonist didn’t imagine that she wouldn’t be able to stop thinking about the roofer. She ends up calling Dallas and making plans to meet her for a drink while her fiancé is out of town.
Bound (1999)
Bound, by Lana and Lilly Wachowski, tells a fiery romance between two women. First, there’s Corky (Gina Gershon), a lesbian who has just completed a prison sentence. Then, there’s Violet (Jennifer Tilly), who’s dating a criminal part of a Chicagoan crime syndicate. The film begins with a premise similar to High Art: even though Violet is in a relationship, she quickly falls in love with Corky, her new neighbor.
The film sees Violet looking for an excuse to meet Corky, finally asking her for help as her ring falls in through the drain. As Corky gives her a hand, she realizes Violet’s intentions and actually likes them. But it’s not only an erotic movie: the plot will see Corky and Violet become entangled with Violet’s boyfriend’s criminal dealings, putting both of their lives at risk.
The debut of the Wachowskis couldn’t be better: it’s a great film on its own that actually deals with the subject of queerness, something that the creators would only return to years after their success directing The Matrix and its sequels.
The passion between the two women is instant. The two main actresses have incredible chemistry together, which makes the sex scenes feature in this film much more powerful. These scenes are truly hot and clearly made by someone who knew about lesbian sex: the directors were actually advised by Susie Bright, a popular sex guru who just so happens to be a lesbian too.
Blue Is the Warmest Colour [La Vie d’Adèle] (2013)
Blue Is the Warmest Colour, by Abdellatif Kechiche, is an extremely intense film that recounts the emotional life of a Parisian woman named Adele (Adèle Exarchopoulos), all the way from her teenage to her adulthood.
At the beginning of the film, we will see a girl who goes to high school, surrounded by friends who are just starting to go out with boys. From the beginning, we see how she notices that she’s not like the others. When she meets Emma (Léa Seydoux), a young art student with blue hair, Adele discovers that what is missing from her life is Emma herself.
Little by little the viewer discovers, together with Adele, the intense love that Emma awakens in her. It also chronicles her doubts and struggles with her high school friends about whether or not she is a lesbian and what it means to love a woman in this day and age.
This film is well-known for having one of the best lesbian sex scenes of all time. While some people don’t like the way the director chose to film the scene, what is great about it isn’t the direction but rather the performances: Exarchopoulos and Seydoux give their all and manage to convey one of the most passionate and sensual performances ever. And it doesn’t detract from the narrative at all.
Blue is the Warmest Colour is a film that talks about love and loss, regardless of the sexuality or orientation of its characters. It shows how life can be perceived intensely and love even more so.
The Hunger (1983)
The Hunger, by Tony Scott, is a film based on the homonymous 1981 novel by Whitley Strieber. It tells the story of Myriam Blaylok, (Catherine Deneuve), an attractive vampire who, although she’s originally from Ancient Egypt, is now living in present-day Manhattan.
This sensual and mysterious character is, sadly, enveloped in misery: for centuries, she has alleviated her loneliness in the company of humans (particularly women), granting them the promise of eternal youth, which never ends up lasting. Somehow, her lovers fade away after some time, leaving her alone again.
Faced with the imminent death of her two hundred year old lover, John (David Bowie), she turns to modern medicine in order to find a cure. Her attention is drawn toward the work of Dr. Sarah Roberts (Susan Sarandon), who is conducting a series of investigations on aging. Yet the very doctor also interests her.
Doctor and vampire begin to fall in love, to the point where the latter is ready to share her secret. The two of them share one of the artsiest sex scenes ever: while beautiful operatic choirs sound in the background, Myriam kisses Sarah’s body in slow motion. Draped in sheets of white, these two stunning women look like a work of art.
It’s definitely one of the most notorious scenes on this list, but it’s sure to make you feel something. The Hunger is quite a unique film. It captures eroticism in a majestic way (like in the first sexual encounter between Myriam and Sarah), and captures the timeless allure of vampires perfectly.
Room in Rome (2010)
Room in Rome, by Julio Medem, is a Spanish film that takes place in a single room. While it started as a remake of the Chilean film In Bed, it slowly turned into something more. Medem is one of the most recognized directors working in Spain, and there’s a reason for that: he took the original script about a heterosexual one-night stand and turned it into a vehicle for lesbian romance and for the expression of the two great actresses featured in the film: Elena Anaya and Natasha Yarovenko.
Set in the city of Rome, the film takes place in a hotel room where two young women who have just met decide to spend the night together. It all takes place in one night and in the early morning hours of the day. The two of them don’t know much about each other, and they don’t have the time to rectify that either: Alba (Anaya) is set to go back to Spain and Natasha (Yarovenko), to Russia.
However, a night exploring themselves and their deepest emotion can make up for all the time they won’t be able to spend together. It’s a film charged with eroticism, featuring many intense sex scenes that are elevated by the use of music. Like The Hunger, the sex is made all the more stunning through the music choice and the beautiful photography. Room in Rome doesn’t offer the most captivating plot, but rather the development of a relationship with no attachments at all.
Desert Heart (1985)
Desert Heart, by Donna Deitch, is one of the first wide-release films to feature lesbian women as the main characters. As such, we consider it deserving of being considered one of the best lesbian sex movies. The film takes place in 1959, and it tells the story of Vivian Bell (Helen Shaver), an English professor at Columbia University, who travels to Nevada to fulfill the separation requirement for 6 weeks prior to her divorce.
She finds lodging in a house for women waiting to finalize her divorce, which is owned by Frances Parker (Audra Lindley). There, Vivian meets Cay Rivers (Patricia Charbonneau), a sculptor and free spirit for whom Frances is a surrogate mother. Cay works at a Reno casino as a switch operator and is ending a relationship with Darrell, her boss.
One of the most iconic scenes in the movie is the moment the two of them meet: as Vivian arrives at the ranch, Cay looks at her in a way that awakens something within her. At first, the tightly controlled Vivian recoils from Cay’s boldness and her lack of concern about what others will think, but will soon realize that she can’t resist the very thing that drove her away. The two of them share a beautiful sex scene that is very subdued and not very graphic, but stands as a very important moment in queer cinema history.
I Can’t Think Straight (2008)
I Can’t Think Straight, by Shamim Sarif, tells the story of two very different girls who fall in love against all odds. On one side, there’s Tala (Lisa Ray), a happy-go-lucky Christian girl born into a well-off family in Amman in the country of Jordan. On the other, there’s Leyla (Sheetal Sheth), a very shy Muslim girl of Indian descent, who is dating one of Tala’s friends.
Set in London, the two of them meet while preparing for Tala’s engagement party: her family has decided that she shall marry a well-to-do man back in her home country. Yet she’s filled with doubts when she realizes she has fallen in love with Leyla, and that the feelings are mutual.
This quirky romantic comedy was advertised as a very sensual movie, but it’s actually much more than that. It really dives into the subject of social pressure and expectations, offering some interesting insights on the matter.
There is, however, much sexiness to be had: the two women share a loving sex scene that’s more subtle than bold. It’s made with much tact, trying to show that this is something quite new for both of them. I Can’t Think Straight is a charming movie with much sexiness and much wit.
Disobedience (2017)
Disobedience, by Sebastián Leilo, was based on the book of the same name by Naomi Alderman. It tells the story of Ronit (Rachel Weisz), who returns to London for the first time since she fled to New York years ago, after the funeral of her father, the rabbi of the Orthodox Jewish community of the city.
However she’s not met with welcoming arms: the community treats her distantly and coldly; she feels like an intruder. Her only solace is her reuniting with her two great lifelong friends: Dovid (Alessandro Nivola), her father’s future successor as rabbi, and Esti (Rachel McAdams), whose relationship with Ronit isn’t explicit, but it’s quite clear by the way they look at each other that they were more than friends. While many things have changed, there’s one that saddens Ronit the most: Dovid and Esti are now married. Still, the two women will find that their love for each other isn’t over.
The performances of its main cast truly set apart this great film: Rachel Weisz and Rachel McAdams portrayal of two lovers who find themselves reunited, but can’t be together, is touching and emotional. And when they actually get to be together, their love feels truly real. Their sex scene is pretty kinky too: suffice it to say that one of them spits on the other’s mouth. It’s hot, it’s sensual, and, most of all, it’s real. And it makes this already amazing movie all the more amazing.
Carol (2015)
Considered one of the best lesbian films to ever be put to screen, Carol, by Todd Haynes, has had much cultural impact. Based on a novel by Patricia Highsmith, titled The Price of Salt, the film stars Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, who are bringing some of the best performances of their careers.
This film is truly a milestone in the long and hard road of bringing lesbian visibility to the forefront. The lesbian community had been long waiting for a love story on the big screen where they could feel represented. A story that they could feel a part of, and Carol is just that. You are truly able to see the love these two characters share. For example, their sex scene is filled with nuanced acting and improvised cues, which makes their romance all the more real.
The director, Todd Haynes, is well-known for telling stories against homophobia and all of his body of work is filled with gay characters and deals with gay problems. Yet he wasn’t the only one responsible for this great film: the script was written by the openly lesbian Phillys Nagi, and, in fact, the very author of the book, Patricia Highsmith, was bisexual. All in all, Carol stands as one of the best examples of lesbian representation in media.