Forbidden Love: The Unashamed Stories of Lesbian Lives

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Aerlyn Weissman & Lynne Fernie, 1992
84 minutes
Original English version, French subtitles

This feature documentary delves into the rich history of Canadian queer women’s experiences in the mid-20th century. Compelling, often hilarious and always rebellious, the women interviewed in this film recount stories about their search for the places where openly gay women gathered in urban centres. Contemporary interviews, archival footage, and a stylized fictional narrative based on the pulp novels of the 1950s are woven throughout this simultaneously funny, heartbreaking, and empowering film. Forbidden Love brings an important and empowering history of lesbian sexuality in Canada out of the closet.

This work contains scenes of nudity and/or sexuality. Viewer discretion is advised.

In collaboration with Image+Nation Festival.

The documentary will be preceded by the short film Into Light (Sheona McDonald, 2021, 19 min)