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Forbidden Love: The Unashamed Stories of Lesbian Lives

Play trailer Poster for Forbidden Love: The Unashamed Stories of Lesbian Lives 1993 1h 24m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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80% Tomatometer 5 Reviews 75% Popcornmeter 100+ Ratings
This documentary about lesbians in Canada alternates between fiction and non-fiction. Along with interviews of real women who discuss coming to terms with their sexuality during the '40s, '50s and '60s, there are dramatized scenes based on the "Beebo Brinker Chronicles," a series of hard-boiled lesbian pulp novels by Ann Bannon published during the '50s. Meanwhile, the interviewed women talk about Vancouver and Toronto's gay scenes of the time, which were their own pulp-worthy underworlds.

Critics Reviews

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Marjorie Baumgarten Austin Chronicle 05/21/2020
3.5/5
Their oral recollections are informative, absorbing, funny and insightful and open the curtain for a closer look at hidden aspects of lesbian cultural history. Go to Full Review Rita Kempley Washington Post 05/28/2003
Unfortunately, these talking heads haven't anything especially interesting to say. Go to Full Review Janet Maslin New York Times 05/28/2003
[A] colorful, anecdotal film... Go to Full Review Maida Tilchen Sojourner 08/14/2019
This is a fast-paced and entertaining film. Go to Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com 07/09/2005
3/5
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Audience Reviews

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01/09/2012 Nice documentary which was probably more shocking in its time. Nonetheless, it remains valuable today as a chronicle of what it mean to be a lesbian at an unaccepting time. See more 04/24/2009 So far this is my favourite lesbian movie. So important to see Herstory that has been invisible and marginalized for centuries. Entertaining and educating, good for baby dykes to appreciate the freedom they have today. I would like to see one that goes on to cover the 70's 80's and 90's when my wife and I came-out. See more 11/24/2008 Quite interesting - a good way to give a marginalized group a voice. See more Read all reviews
Forbidden Love: The Unashamed Stories of Lesbian Lives

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Cast & Crew

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Aerlyn Weissman

Director

Lynne Fernie

Director

Stephanie Morgenstern

Actor

Lynne Adams

Actor

Margaret Pettigrew

Producer

Ginny Stikeman

Producer
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Forbidden Love: The Unashamed Stories of Lesbian Lives

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Movie Info

Synopsis This documentary about lesbians in Canada alternates between fiction and non-fiction. Along with interviews of real women who discuss coming to terms with their sexuality during the '40s, '50s and '60s, there are dramatized scenes based on the "Beebo Brinker Chronicles," a series of hard-boiled lesbian pulp novels by Ann Bannon published during the '50s. Meanwhile, the interviewed women talk about Vancouver and Toronto's gay scenes of the time, which were their own pulp-worthy underworlds.
Director
Aerlyn Weissman, Lynne Fernie
Producer
Margaret Pettigrew, Ginny Stikeman
Screenwriter
Lynne Fernie, Aerlyn Weissman
Production Co
National Film Board of Canada (NFB), Studio D
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Jan 4, 2019
Runtime
1h 24m