Forbidden Love: The Unashamed Stories of Lesbian Lives (1992)

In the midst of the pulsating cities of Vancouver and Toronto, Forbidden Love: The Unashamed Stories of Lesbian Lives (1992) unfolds the candid narratives of ten women, each echoing their unique experiences of lesbianism in the 1940s, 50s, and 60s. The film delves into their innocent encounters with the day's pulp fiction revolving around women's forbidden love, their personal journey of love and heartbreak, and their clandestine visits to gay bars under the looming threat of police raids. The film also paints an intriguing picture of the dynamics between men's reactions and the unwritten rules of butch and femme roles. Laced between these deeply personal interviews and hauntingly beautiful archival footage, the film breathes life into four dramatized chapters from an emblematic pulp novel, "Forbidden Love". It traces Laura's escape from her provincial life to the vibrant city, where she stumbles upon Mitch in a bar. Their encounter ignites sparks of romance, laughter, and unbridled joy. The film also features the voice of Ann Bannon, a renowned author of those daringly defiant paperback novels of forbidden love, shedding light on this provocative genre. Forbidden Love: The Unashamed Stories of Lesbian Lives offers a vivid, unfiltered insight into the once covert world of lesbian love, encapsulating its beauty, struggles, and resilience.

Forbidden Love: The Unashamed Stories of Lesbian Lives is a documentary movie featuring Stephanie Morgenstern and directed by Lynne Fernie.

Forbidden Love: The Unashamed Stories of Lesbian Lives is currently streaming on IndieFlix.