Looking to have the sapphic summer of your dreams? Need a curated list of films to support your endeavours? Well, look no further! Here’s a list of 17 sapphic films with those lazy, hazy, breezy, golden summer vibes. While not every film on this list explicitly takes place in the summertime (although there are a solid four films with “summer” in the title), they all have that magic of summer essence. 

But I’m a Cheerleader (1999)
Starting off strong with a classic, But I’m a Cheerleader follows teenager Megan as she is sent to ‘conversion therapy’ camp, even though she doesn’t think she is a lesbian. There she meets Graham, who is comfortable in her sexuality, and the two fall in love.

Summertime (La Belle Saison) (2015)
Taking place in 1971, Summertime follows Delphine as she moves to Paris and begins a relationship with a woman named Carol. 

Desert Hearts (1986)
Based on the 1964 novel Desert of the Heart, this film takes place in Nevada in the ’50s and features a divorced professor named Vivian as she falls for the spirited Cay. 

Rafiki (2018)
This Kenyan film follows two teen lesbians, Kena and Ziki, as they fall in love amidst the judgment and eyes of their community. 

Princess Cyd (2017)
While spending the summer with her aunt in Chicago, teenage Cyd experiences summer love while also growing closer to her aunt.

The Summer of Sangaliė (2015)
This Lithuanian film is another sapphic summer vacation tale as it follows teenage Sangalie as she falls in love with Auste while at the lake with her family. 

Fried Green Tomatoes (1991)
This film is unfortunately not as explicitly queer as the novel, but the sapphic undertones are certainly there! Fried Green Tomatoes follows a tired housewife as she meets a lady at a nursing home who tells her the story of Idgie and Ruth and their restaurant, The Whistle Stop Cafe (the set of which was turned into a real restaurant). 

Drive Away Dolls (2024)
Drive Away Dolls follows two women on a road trip to Tallahassee, Florida, in 1999 as they get caught up with some criminals. 

The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love (1995)
This sweet film follows the romance between teenagers from opposing backgrounds, Randy and Evie. 

Cocoon (2020)
Cocoon follows 14-year-old Nora as she discovers who she is, what she wants, and who she loves. 

Anaïs in Love (2021)
This French comedy tells the story of unmoored Anaïs as she has an affair with a man but then falls for his wife. 

The Watermelon Woman (1997)
The first film by a Black lesbian, The Watermelon Woman follows an aspiring filmmaker as she tries to create a documentary on an elusive 1930s actress. 

Hearts Beat Loud (2018)
While focused primarily on Frank and his daughter Sam as they make music together, there is a sweet romance between Sam and Rose.

Ellie & Abbie (& Ellie’s Dead Aunt) (2020)
This heartfelt and funny film tells the story of teenager Ellie as she tries to handle a crush on her classmate Abbie, with the help of her dead lesbian aunt. 

My Summer of Love (2004)
My Summer of Love follows the toxic relationship between two teen girls, Mona and Tamsin, from different socioeconomic backgrounds. 

Sweetheart (2021)
Teen AJ falls for lifeguard Isla while on holiday with her family at a caravan park. 

My First Summer (2020)
My First Summer is the wholesome, sun-kissed sapphic summer romance you’ve been waiting for, and the perfect film to end this list! This beautiful depiction of young love tells the story of two teens who meet in a garden. 

Now that you’re armed with a collection of films (although there’s always more to discover), off you go to have the cinematic sapphic summer you’ve been waiting for!