The Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant was adapted by him from his own play of the same name, giving it a great cinematographic spin and illuminating it with rich colours suitable to a film about a fashion designer. The Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant (Rainer Werner Fassbinder, 1972)Īlthough this is not the film most associated with Fassbinder, it is a real gem and one of his greatest works.
However, the women are smarter than Fujiwara thought and what follows is an endless power swap of the characters, in the process of which Sook-Hee and Lady Hideko fall in love.ĩ.
To carry out his plan he hires the help of a professional thief, Sook-Hee (Kim Tae-ri) to act as her handmaiden. The film follows a con-man, Count Fujiwara (Ha Jung-woo) who is on a mission to seduce and steal the inheritance of a rich Japanese woman Lady Hideko (Kim Min-hee). The Handmaiden is a brilliant film in all its aspects, with a plot that doesn’t stop to shock and surprise at every turn. Without further ado, although a list of great films should never be limited to such a small number as 10, these titles definitely stand as strong representations of lesbian films.ġ0. Although the movement never became mainstream, it has subtly infiltrated both indie and Hollywood cinema in a way that it’s traces are still seen today. Although many films were made in earlier cinema about lesbians – whether openly or in more subtle forms – it is the New Queer Cinema that really transformed the definition of sexuality and the potential of what non-heterosexual films can be as well as the way LGBT characters can be presented. Of course, one must consider all these things at once because, after all, films are complex and multi-sided. Are we comparing them in terms of narrative? Or is it strong and unique characters? Is it in terms of innovation of the genre, and can we even call lesbian or LGBT films a genre in general, considering they can vary from comedies, to dramas, to murder stories? When thinking of a ‘best’ list of LGBT related films, the criteria is so varied that it’s very hard to pick just a small amount.