Last updated: May 24, 2026
This international lesbian films guide is meant to work as a starting point, not a complete list of every sapphic film from every country. I use this page to introduce major regions, highlight a few representative titles, and guide readers toward more detailed country-based guides on LesbianOnScreen.
What I love about global sapphic cinema is that lesbian stories change depending on language, religion, family structure, politics, class, and local film traditions. A Korean family drama, an Indian coming-out story, a French period romance, a Kenyan love story, and a Brazilian GL web series may all involve women loving women, but they carry very different emotional memories.
Below, I group international lesbian films by region and country. Each section includes a few titles I think are useful entry points, plus links to deeper country guides where available.
South Asian and Middle Eastern Lesbian Films
Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga (2019) — India
Our Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
Country: India
Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga is a useful starting point for Indian sapphic cinema because it brings a lesbian coming-out story into a mainstream Bollywood family-drama structure. It still uses familiar melodrama, humor, parental conflict, and reconciliation, but that familiar form is exactly what makes the film interesting: it asks a traditional storytelling space to make room for a lesbian daughter.
I do not think it is the most subtle film in this guide, but I appreciate its visibility. For readers who want to go deeper into South Asian sapphic stories, start with my guide to Indian lesbian movies and dramas.
Circumstance (2011) – Iran
Our Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ (4.5/5)
Country: Iran
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime
Set in contemporary Iran, this Sundance Audience Award winner follows two young women discovering their attraction amidst Tehran’s underground youth culture. The film beautifully portrays forbidden love while offering a rare glimpse into modern Iranian society.
For a deeper regional entry point, continue with my guide to Indian lesbian movies and dramas. I keep Thai GL series in the broader Asian section below because Thai sapphic television has a very different fandom-driven style from Indian family dramas.
Israeli Lesbian Films
Barash (2015)
Our Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
Country: Israel
Where to Watch: Dekkoo
Following 17-year-old Naama Barash’s journey of self-discovery through first love, this coming-of-age story captures the intensity of teenage emotions against the backdrop of Israeli society. The film stands out for its authentic portrayal of youth culture and sexual awakening.
Para Aduma (Red Cow) (2018)
Our Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
Country: Israel
Where to Watch: MUBI
This semi-autobiographical film explores the tension between religious faith and sexual awakening through the story of a young Orthodox Jewish girl. The director’s personal connection to the material adds depth to this sensitive portrayal of faith and identity.
The Secrets (2007)
Our Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ (4.5/5)
Country: Israel
Where to Watch: Tubi (free with ads)
Set in a women’s religious seminary, this thoughtful drama follows two students whose lives intersect with a mysterious older woman. The film masterfully explores the intersection of faith, tradition, and forbidden love.
European lesbian Cinema
European lesbian cinema has a wide range: French films often lean into memory, desire, and visual restraint; German films frequently explore identity, politics, and social pressure; Nordic films can feel quieter, colder, and more psychological. I like using this section as a bridge into the more specific country guides.
Start here with Thelma from Norway, Anne+ from the Netherlands, Dual from Slovenia, and Another Way from Hungary. Then continue with my deeper guides to French lesbian films, German lesbian movies, and Swedish lesbian movies.
Thelma (2017) – Norway
Our Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ (4.5/5)
Country: Norway
Where to Watch: Hulu
This supernatural suspense drama centres on a pious student whose awakening sexuality sets off unexplained powers. Combining sweet romance with terror gives a different perspective on the coming-out story.
Anne+ (2021) – Netherlands
Our Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
Country: Netherlands
Where to Watch: Netflix
A twenty-something writer juggling her novel writing with possible relocation for love guides modern research of queer life in Amsterdam. The movie brilliantly and realistically reflects modern gay experiences.
Dual (2013) – Slovenia
Our Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
Country: Slovenia
Their brief meeting between a Danish visitor and a Slovenian shuttle driver results in surprising connection. The title of the movie deftly exploits emotional and linguistic contradiction.
Egymásra nézve (Another Way) (1982) – Hungary
Our Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
Country: Hungary
Filmed in post-revolution Hungary, this innovative work tracks two female reporters negotiating political persecution as well as forbidden love. a landmark in Eastern European LGBT film still potent decades later.
Latin American lesbian Cinema
Latin American sapphic cinema often brings class, family pressure, social visibility, religion, and political history into the emotional texture of lesbian stories. The Heiresses is a quiet entry point from Paraguay, while Brazilian and Spanish-language sapphic works open the door to a much wider screen landscape.
For deeper lists, continue with my guides to Spanish-language lesbian movies and series and Brazilian lesbian movies and GL series.
The Heiresses (2018)
Our Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
Country: Paraguay
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime
This little drama centres on a middle-aged woman rediscovering herself after her partner goes behind bars. Examining class and privilege in Paraguayan society, the film presents a rare picture of elder lesbian couples.
Elisa y Marcela (2019) – Spain
Our Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
Country: Spain
Where to Watch: Netflix
Inspired by the actual account of Spain’s first known same-sex marriage, this period play vividly depicts the extent two women would have travelled to freely in early 20th century Spain.
Asian lesbian Cinema
Asian sapphic cinema is difficult to summarize because Japan, Korea, India, Thailand, and the Philippines all tell queer women’s stories in very different ways. Some films are quiet and literary, some are family-centered, and Thai GL series often lean much more romantic and fandom-driven.
For deeper country-based viewing lists, explore my guides to Japanese lesbian films, Korean lesbian films, Indian lesbian movies and dramas, and Thai GL series.
Baka Bukas (2016) – Philippines
Our Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
Country: Philippines
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime
This modern romance traces a creative worker negotiating love for her closest friend in contemporary Manila. The movie presents an original interpretation of the friends-to- lovers cliché in Filipino society.
One Day, You Will Reach the Sea (2022) – Japan
Our Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ (4.5/5)
Country: Japan
Where to Watch: MUBI
A masterwork of modern Japanese film combining ideas of love, death, and self-discovery. After Jin’s transforming trip, the movie tells a very poignant tale using creative dual narrative devices and breathtaking photography. While the delicate performances and careful attention to detail produce an emotionally memorable experience that stays long after viewing, the sea represents a strong metaphor all through.
Concerning My Daughter (2023) – Korea
Our Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
Based on: Kim Hye-jin’s novel
Country: South Korea
Concerning My Daughter is less a simple lesbian romance than a family and social drama about care, generational fear, housing insecurity, and the difficulty of accepting someone’s life when it does not match what a parent imagined. The mother-daughter conflict gives the film its emotional weight.
What I found affecting is that the film does not only ask whether a mother can accept her queer daughter. It also places that question beside elder care, labor, loneliness, and the way women are expected to carry emotional responsibility for everyone around them.
For more Korean sapphic stories, see my guide to Korean lesbian films.
African lesbian Cinema
Rafiki (2018) – Kenya
Our Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½ (4.5/5)
Country: Kenya
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime
Originally outlawed in Kenya, this vivid love tale between two young ladies in Nairobi deftly portrays the excitement and risk of forbidden love in modern-day Africa.
Related: If you want to explore more Black sapphic stories across film and television, continue with my guide to Black lesbian movies and shows.
Baltic lesbian Cinema
The Summer of Sangaile (2015) – Lithuania
Our Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
Country: Lithuania
Where to Watch: MUBI
A visually spectacular coming-of-age narrative about a young woman conquering her anxiety by means of aerial acrobatics and love. Sundance World Cinema competition winner of the directing prize.
FAQ About International Lesbian Films
What is a good international lesbian film to start with?
If you want an accessible starting point, try Rafiki, Barash, or Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga. If you prefer darker or more stylized cinema, Thelma and Circumstance are stronger choices. For historical or political weight, Another Way, The Heiresses, and Elisa y Marcela are worth considering.
Is this a complete list of lesbian films from every country?
No. This page is a starting hub for global sapphic cinema. I highlight representative titles from different regions and link to deeper country guides where available, such as Indian, Japanese, Korean, French, German, Swedish, and Black lesbian screen stories.
Where can I watch international lesbian films online?
Availability changes by country and over time. Some films may appear on Netflix, MUBI, Amazon, Tubi, Apple TV, festival platforms, or LGBTQ+ streaming services. I recommend checking each title directly before renting or subscribing.
Why watch lesbian films from different countries?
Watching sapphic films from different countries shows how queer women’s stories change with language, family structure, religion, politics, class, and local film traditions. The emotional themes may overlap, but the social pressures and visual styles are often very different.
Explore Lesbian Films by Country and Region
If you want to keep exploring global sapphic cinema, these country and region guides are the best next step:
- Indian Lesbian Movies and Dramas
- Japanese Lesbian Films
- Korean Lesbian Films
- Thai GL Series
- French Lesbian Films
- German Lesbian Movies
- Swedish Lesbian Movies
- Black Lesbian Movies and Shows
👉 Also explore: Lesbian Movies | GL Series | Yuri Anime & Manga