Lesbian Looks Film Series HomepageLesbian Looks Film Series

Reclaiming the gaze since 1993

Season 2026

Lesbian Looks is presented by the UA Institute for LGBT Studies, with support from the School of Theatre, Film & Television and the Hanson FilmTV Endowment.

THU, JAN 29 at 6:30pm / THU, FEB 5 at 6pm

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Nelly and Nadine

(Magnus Gertten, Sweden, 2022, 92min)
FREE

THU, JAN 29, 6:30pm SOLD OUT
Tucson Jewish Museum & Holocaust Center
564 S. Stone Ave

THU, FEB 5, 6pm
Marroney Theatre, UA campus

“Surrounded by unimaginable horrors in a desolate environment, love blossomed from the ashes… This is definitely a film that should be on everybody’s must see list.”

—Gay & Lesbian Review »Full review

Nelly & Nadine tells the unlikely and harrowing love story of Belgian classical singer Nelly Mousset-Vos and Nadine Hwang, the daughter of a Chinese ambassador to Spain. Nelly and Nadine meet in the darkest of times on Christmas Eve, 1944, in the Ravensbrűck concentration camp. Through newly recovered personal diaries and Super-8 home movies, Nelly & Nadine takes audiences on a personal journey through the nearly forgotten history of one of the greatest love stories never told…

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SUN FEB 15, 2026, 2-4pm

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2 Restored Vintage Docs from the Gay Liberation Era

GREETINGS FROM WASHINGTON DC
(Rob Epstein, Frances Reid, Greta Schiller and Lucy Winer, 1981, 29min)

IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE CHILDREN
(Frances Reid, Elizabeth Stevens and Cathy Zheutlin, 1977, 53min)

In Person
Lesbian Looks is thrilled to welcome distinguished filmmaker Frances Reid to present two recently restored classic documentaries from the Gay Liberation era. After the screening, join Frances at the cash bar reception for continued discussion! »Read Frances' reflections on filming the historic 1979 march
Loft Cinema, FREE

GREETINGS FROM WASHINGTON DC

(Rob Epstein, Frances Reid, Greta Schiller and Lucy Winer, 1981, 29min)

Documents the first National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights, where tens of thousands of people converged on October 14, 1979. Documented by pioneering filmmakers Rob Epstein (The Times of Harvey Milk, 1984), Frances Reid (In the Best Interests of the Children, 1977), Greta Schiller (Before Stonewall, 1984) and Lucy Winer (Rate It X, 1986), who skillfully capture the hopeful and peaceful activism of this community, mirroring past movements grounded in non-violent action.

This new digital 4K restoration captures the joyous, intersectional spirit of an event that heralded the beginning of a new chapter in the national fight for queer rights and visibility.

IN THE BEST INTERESTS OF THE CHILDREN

(Frances Reid, Elizabeth Stevens and Cathy Zheutlin, 1977, 53min)

An intimate and courageous portrait of lesbian mothers and their children during a time of intense legal and social discrimination. It stands as a cinematic milestone in the documentation of LGBTQ+ family life and a record of the history of the broader struggle for civil rights. Originally produced with the aim of educating family court judges, this important documentary transcended its initial purpose, also becoming a critical artifact of feminist and queer filmmaking. Through candid interviews, courtroom narratives, and everyday scenes, the film captures the resilience, love, and dignity of queer families fighting for recognition, justice, and the right to care for one another. Refusing sensationalism in favor of emotional honesty, the film constructs a layered narrative at the intersection of gender, sexuality, race, and class.

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