While we’re thankfully past the trend of period pieces about lesbians suffering tragically, humor’s played a limited role in current queer cinema, despite films like “Timeless,” “The People’s Joker,” and “Bottoms.” A dour gloom still overshadows many films about LGBTQ people. “Lesbian Space Princess” is a delightful turn in a different direction. An animated film made by Australian directors Leela Varghese and Emma Hough Hobbs, it manifests a path for its hero to triumph over heartbreak and sexism. Influenced by anime classics such as “Neon Genesis Evangelion” and “Revolutionary Girl Utena,” they’ve created a splendid comedy.
As “Lesbian Space Princess” starts, Saira (voiced by Shabana Azeez) shows the audience her scrapbook. Like a Pinterest mood board, it documents her relationship with Kiki (Bernie Van Tiel). Just as Saira has thoroughly demonstrated their happiness together, Kiki storms in to dump her. Saira is devastated, especially since she feels pressured from her two mothers to act extroverted. The Lesbian Ball is coming up, and she’s expected to attend. A bounty hunter, Kiki is kidnapped by three “Straight White Maliens,” who hold her over a pit of burning liquid. They demand the labrys (a double axe which became a symbol of lesbian pride in the ‘70s) Saira should own but can’t find. Saira takes off on a quest through the galaxy to save her ex, including a trip to a club presided over by Blade (Kween Kong), a haughty drag queen. She becomes the object of infatuation of non-binary pop singer Willow (Gemma Chua Tran). Whatever happens between them and Saira, Willow intends to use it as material for their next album. But the countdown timer threatening Kiki’s life keeps ticking away.
“Lesbian Space Princess” flips around the norms of our current time. It’s casually multicultural and sex-positive without gratuitous raunch. On Clitopolis, queer women are in charge. Saira’s parents tell her “we’ll be late for the orgy.” As Saira says “I’ll miss you, pussy,” the film cuts to a vagina with tiny arms and legs. The animation is constructed from simple parts. The Straight White Maliens’ eyebrows are angry semi-circles. Clitopolis residents’ ears are triangular, like Spock from “Star Trek.” Their hair can be green or pink.
“Lesbian Space Princess” finds no shame in being corny; it’s witty enough that this doesn’t matter. It makes jokes by throwing out phrases and illustrating them literally. A “chick magnet” proves to attract actual birds. Sadbois busk with acoustic guitars and sing about their lost loves in “space bubbles.” The soundtrack tends to comment on exactly what we’re seeing: Willow sings “I’ve got a crush on you” directly to Saira. Saira gets a ride on Problematic Ship (Richard Roxburgh). His printer coughs up the actual script of this film, with the directors’ names on the first page. He also asks, “What do you guys think of the sex scene in ‘Blue Is the Warmest Color’?,” mocking the infamously male-gaze 10-minute scene in the X French film.
This sense of humor prevents the film from becoming too pat. It comes with a message about the importance of loving oneself rather than caring too much about others’ opinions. For all the sex jokes, there’s a YA sensibility to “Lesbian Space Princess,” perhaps coming from the influence of animation aimed at kids and teenagers. (It embraces girliness, with pink backgrounds.) It could easily have felt like a PSA, but it avoids self-congratulation. The fact that it’s a low-budget production coming from Sapphic women, rather than the work of a conventional animation studio, helps. While there are rough edges, they’re rather endearing.
It delicately addresses feeling alienated from one’s own community: While Saira lives in “gay space,” she’s still troubled by its expectation that she’s down to party constantly. It’s funny enough to make its points land lightly. It’s even generous to picture a trio of incels finding redemption by becoming a gay throuple. They take a break from whining about their own victimization to find love in each other’s arms. (The only element that gives one pause is the villainy of Blade.) It also eschews cliched narratives about coming out. Saira has a host of reasons to be anxious, but none have anything to do with difficulty accepting her sexuality. Comedy as a whole is struggling in contemporary cinema; “Lesbian Space Princess” is one of the most entertaining ones, from any perspective, released in 2025.
“Lesbian Space Princess” | Directed by Leela Varghese and Emma Hough Hobbs | Cineverse | Opens Oct. 31st
