Dhruv Sharma
Love can indeed take a lot of forms and just confining it to one shape would be very unfair. And that’s why we need to embrace every form of love and intimacy through cinema, regardless of sexual orientation. A lot of times the lovemaking scenes that are filmed in LGBT movies may not necessarily involve actors who are actually homosexual. They have to pretend to be someone they are not, that too in a situation where everyone is watching them. And that’s what acting is all about. Some pull it off so well on the screen it becomes hard for us to believe if they’re actually gay or not, while some really need to work on their chemistry and at times may even come off as hilarious.
There have been several memorable intimate moments in cinema involving heterosexual and homosexual characters. We have previously listed down best lesbian movies and best movie sex scenes. Today, we are going to specifically look at the list of top lesbian sex scenes in movies. You can watch several of these lesbian scenes on Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime.
25. Princess Cyd (2017)
‘Princess Cyd’ tells the story of a girl who moves to her Aunt’s place in Chicago to spend her summer there. In Chicago, she meets another girl and feels very attracted to her in a very different way but when her Aunt finds out about this, she starts to confront her to be more open about it and challenges her spirit and sex. The film doesn’t really have too many adult scenes — one is a rape attempt that could trigger PTSD in some viewers, so please be warned. The other one and, of course, the better one, because of which the film has made it to this list, is between Cyd and Katie. The movie slowly builds up to this scene and makes sure that the audience is well-connected with the two characters by the time it begins and that’s what makes it so damn beautiful to watch.
24. Jennifer’s Body (2009)
Megan Fox making out with Amanda Seyfried? How can these scenes not be on this list? The film is a horror-vampire story of a young woman who, inhabited by a demon, turns her back on patriarchal society, murdering men and taking herself away from them as a sexual object by reserving her sexuality for other women. Well, if you don’t care much about the plot, just stick with two hot women making out and you won’t regret it.
23. But I’m a Cheerleader (1999)
Set in a time when people were not too open-minded and ostracized homosexuality, ‘But I’m a Cheerleader’ is the story of an all American girl. She is suspected of being homosexual by pretty much everyone because even after having a boyfriend, she doesn’t seem too keen on him and even her locker seems to full of pictures of only women. Her parents feel threatened by her behavior and send her to a sexual redirection rehab. Here, she has to choose whether to walk on a path that everyone else expects her to be on or to embrace her love for another lesbian misfit she meets at the camp. The best scene in the movie is where the two girls have sex for the first time and the camera captures it beautifully. Instead of showing what’s going on, the subtle camera work done here emphasizes the feelings and the love of the girls towards each other.
22. Desert Heart (1985)
‘Desert Hearts’ is about a professor who feels out of place all the time in her marriage and demands for a divorce. After this, she encounters a trashy, bold and reckless ranch owner’s daughter named Cay who is an open lesbian. She starts to feel something for her. What follows is a wave of intimacy and insecurities with a backdrop of some good old country music and rocky mountains. The sex scene between them is not all that graphic but it still manages to be very, very steamy and can be considered to be A-rated for that time.
21. Becks (2017)
A Brooklyn based musician goes through a very tough break up after she finds her girlfriend cheating on her. This forces her to move back with her mother who stays in the Midwest and is a strict Catholic. As she starts to get familiar with the new town around her, a very unexpected relationship starts to mold; one that will change her life forever. The best part about this film is that it avoids overdoing the cheesiness of romance and also highlights the complications of being in a relationship. And that’s what makes the sex scenes here so real because the element of realism that the writers prompt from the beginning itself finally add up to the raunchy yet subtle scenes that make you laugh and cry at the same time. There isn’t too much nudity but you do find subtle sensuality which is enough to set the world on fire.
20. The Carmilla Movie (2017)
‘The Carmilla Movie’ is more of a fantasy and there is just one scene between the two protagonists Laura and Carmilla and that itself is enough to make this one a part of the list. The two vampire women stare into each other’s eyes as the dawn starts to break and darkness swirls around them. They look at each other in a way you would want to be looked at by your own lover. They kiss and then it all goes down as they make slow love to each other throughout the night. Straight or gay, the way they connect throughout this scene will surely make you envy them and obviously turn you on.
19. Gia (1997)
They say beauty is subjective but undeniably Angelina Jolie defines beauty with her sultry eyes, pouty lips, sharp jawline, and a body that has impossibly exaggerated features of a femme fatale anime character. So imagine what a lesbian sex scene with her in it would be like. What starts as a raunchy nude photo shoot ends up in the bedroom and then a steamy shower. Unlike most others on this list, this one does get really graphic to an extent where it would almost qualify as porn. Undoubtedly, one of the best in the history of cinema.
18. Saving Face (2005)
‘Saving Face’ is an Indie Drama about a lot of taboos and traditional restrictions that were imposed on the Chinese. A lesbian Chinese American surgeon named Wil finds her widowed mother at her doorstep after she is disowned by her own father. The surgeon’s mother is a typical orthodox Chinese woman who creates complications in Wil’s relationship with a dancer who is the daughter of her boss at the hospital. While Wil struggles to keep up with her relationship with her mother being around, she also looks for a Chinese bachelor to marry her mom. The lesbian lovemaking scene in this one is rather weird and funny where the two girls try to loosen up by literally falling over to the ground. But once things start to escalate, everything else fades away and well, goodbye world!
17. Carol (2015)
Therese and Carol’s love story in Todd Haynes’ ‘Carol’ is something that we’d never forget, and Rooney Mara and Cate Blanchet make this one an amazing piece of art that it is. Throughout the movie, the two women play their roles with absolute perfection. One is a beautiful yet traumatized woman named Carol and the other one, Therese, a free-spirited, innocent and curious young woman. The two actors manage to perfect the body languages and subtle nuances of these two characters with absolute ease and when they make love for the first time, they communicate with each other entirely through the body, making it look like a surreal experience. It’s understandable why people find themselves in tears when they watch this one because such a profound level of intimacy is rarely found in cinema.
16. Disobedience (2018)
‘Disobedience’ is a beautifully crafted tale of two women that will surely give you heartache. It is the story of how the childhood passions of two women reignite when they meet each other after ages. They explore their boundaries of love and passion that go way beyond any confinements that had stopped them earlier. The one sex scene in this one is everything you can ask for. It’s emotional, tender, passionate and lengthy and it is one of those few films where a lesbian sex scene has been directed by a female, so what you see is purely from the eyes of a woman.
15. Chloe (2010)
‘Chloe’ is about a woman named Catherine who lives the perfect family life with her husband and her teenage son. But an incident makes her suspect her husband of infidelity and she decides to hire an escort named Chloe to test the faithfulness of her husband. And as the meetings of Chloe with Catherine and her husband increase, a strange tension between all three of them starts building up. And with this slow build up, the film leads you to a very sexy and intimate scene with Julianne Moore and Amanda Seyfried that really sets an example for how a hot lesbian sex scene should be shot in a film.
14. Atomic Blonde (2017)
Charlize Theron‘s versatility has always been impressive. She has played the most diverse roles, from being a goth assassin in Aeon Flux to a blonde badass spy in ‘Atomic Blonde’. She cracks bones and pulps faces with absolute ease here, reminding you of her role in Aeon Flux. But apart from all the brutal brawls and martial arts scene, there is one lesbian sex scene that will blow your mind. The sex scene almost did not make it to the film and it also seems unnecessary but it’s still one of a kind and will have you squirming uncomfortably in your seat when you watch it.
13. Summertime (2016)
‘Summertime’ is a surprisingly good film that takes a rather distinctive approach towards lesbian relationships and sex. Unlike most other French drama love affairs like ‘Blue is the Warmest Color‘, the actors present a very fierce and passionate eroticism without showing any clear hints of seduction from both sides. The realism that builds up to these scenes comes from the film’s ability to create a total anti-dramatic environment and relaxed storytelling. The characters remain a mystery to you all the way till the end of the movie and so will their bond. But you find yourself connecting to their bond and the passionate intentions that draw them to each other.
12. Stud Life (2012)
‘Stud Life’ comes from a UK based director Campbell X and is set in contemporary London where two fine looking and really attractive queers come together to find their place in the world of love and sex. Most lesbian movies put revolve around white lesbians but ‘Stud Life’ goes out of the way and portrays a dark-skinned masculine queer figure that makes it more relatable. The first time the two characters think of having sex, the feminine character Elle lies in the bed taking an initiative instead of JJ who is the more masculine character. Again, by portraying the masculine character as the more vulnerable one, this film goes against everything that is shown in mainstream queer films. The bold honesty displayed all along the movie and even during the intimate scenes makes it absolutely gorgeous to watch.
11. I Can’t Think Straight (2008)
‘I Can’t Think Straight’ is another Indie film about a girl named Tala who is an upper-class woman from Jordan and is about to get married to the man of her dreams. But everything starts to change when she meets an attractive British Indian woman Lelya and feels an uncontrollable attraction towards her. She eventually falls in love with this woman but the complications it leads to are chaotic beyond measure. The sex in this movie is coy and shy without any elements of being graphic or bold. But sometimes that’s all it takes to make them distinctive and memorable. Though the book of the movie has some real nitty-gritty sex, the movie keeps it subtle and it leaves enough space for your own imagination. The film and the not so bold sex scenes actually contradict how the movie was marketed with bold sultry trailer and posters. The actual film is quite the opposite and better than what you would expect.
10. Kiss Me (2011)
‘First Kiss’ is a great movie that can be watched more than once. The best part about it is that all of it is very very authentic with no signs of any phony lesbian intimacy. That’s probably because this one, too, has been directed by a woman and that perspective itself makes all the difference in the world. We all try to portray ourselves as really nice people with good intentions when we first get into a relationship and this movie portrays that really well. When it comes to the intimate scenes, there is a whole lot of kissing and love making throughout the film, but the best one happens when the two protagonists make love to each other for the first time. The scene is as real as it gets with heavy breathing and a lurking tension in the air about the fact they know they’re screwed but are still having a good time. There’s no cheesy music or unnecessary build-up — it will take your breath away!
9. Better Than Chocolate (1999)
With great production value and also a whole lot of charm, ‘Better Than Chocolate’ brings you a solid storyline along with some never seen before sex scenes. But before you judge the boldness of the film, let’s not forget that it came out during a time when being gay or lesbian was not dealt with easily even in the United States. So what it offers is a lot more than what would be expected from a film of that time. This is no LGBT film that breaks new ground or offers something very unique but it sure is the kind of movie that will leave you feeling really good about yourself, no matter who you are or where you’re from. And well, as for the sex scenes, not just for the 90s but even for today’s standards, they are R rated and one of the best out there. On the surface, ‘Better Than Chocolate’ may seem like another feel-good film but it’s certainly a lot more than that. The way it manages to explore sexuality makes it one of the most thematically strong, complex movies on this list.
Read More: Most Disturbing Sex Scenes in Movies
8. Below Her Mouth (2017)
Those who have seen ‘Below Her Mouth’ will not deny that it is lesbian porn with a decent plot. The sex scenes — most of them — are so bold and were extremely hard to pull off and made everyone involved in the scenes really uncomfortable. While almost 70% of the film is filled with lesbian sex scenes, most of them are in the outdoors and some in a bedroom. The parts in between those scenes are just filled with the past stories of the relationships of the main characters. When it comes down to the realism of sex in this film, it does check all the boxes, but the direction seems unclear throughout. This movie makes it clear that Lesbian sex scenes shot by a lesbian director are far more real and appealing to women than the ones shot by men. What remains a mystery, however, is what does ‘Below Her Mouth’ actually mean? They’ve probably left that out for the viewers.
Read More: Best Nude Scenes in Movies
7. Room in Rome (2010)
The trailer itself of ‘Room in Rome’ has nothing but two women having sex in it. The trailer does not give you a false impression and the movie is pretty much all about two women in bed. Alba, a lesbian somehow convinces Natasha to join her in her marvelous hotel room, which is right in the middle of Rome. After a little bit of awkwardness, the two end up together in bed and spend the rest of the night together. The sex is followed by conversations wherein initially both of them lie about most things but they soon start opening up and pour out all of their insecurities in the haze of vulnerability.
The sex scenes in the film are all great and an attempt has been made to use them as a form of communication between the two women. But the problem is that the raw emotional intensity of the scenes gets overpowered by unnecessary soundtracks that do not even match up with the pace. You’ll adore this film if you’re not looking for too much of a plot and a lot of sex scenes for a span of 2 hours, but if you’re looking for a film that has sex scenes with a lot more connection and chemistry between the characters, then you might want to reconsider your decision of watching this.
6. Concussion (2013)
‘Concussion’ gives a refreshingly new look into lesbian movies by portraying the story of a rich woman who establishes herself as a high-class sex worker for other sex-starved queer women which allows her to get rid of her sexual frustration. This is one of those few movies on this list that will stick with you even after you’re done watching it. It will later make you think about it and you’ll be able to relate with the dilemmas of the protagonist who seeks fulfillment of her passions after her post-marriage love life gets caught up with the responsibilities of the world. Despite the steamy scenes, ‘Concussion’ manages to be a film that is not entirely about sex or even lesbians, but about the subtle intricacies of human relationships.
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5. Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)
Woody Allen is known for making romantic dramas. But with ‘Vicky Christina Barcelona’ he proved that he can make sensual films too. But it is Woody Allen or is the presence of three super-hot actresses automatically creating an underlying implicit sexual energy? Well, I will leave that for you to decide. One scene, in particular, that’s extremely provocative in the film is when Cristina (Scarlett Johansson) and María Elena (Penélope Cruz) make love to each other in a photo-processing room that’s dimly lit in red; the scene is irresistibly provocative. What makes it even more darkly exciting is that both women are in love with the same man.
4. Heavenly Creatures (1994)
Before Kate Winslet became wildly famous she made her debut in Peter Jackson’s (yes, the director of Lord of the Rings) Heavenly Creatures, a film about murder and unrequited lesbian love between teenage best friends. While the film is surely good on its own, the lesbian sex scene between Winslet and Melanie Lynskey makes it something else. Winslet has done a lot of sex scenes in her career, but this one truly stands out for its sensuality and vulnerability.
3. Black Swan (2010)
Darren Aronofsky is known for making dark films. He has this ability to craft such bizarrely creepy atmosphere in his films that makes them so distinctively intriguing. ‘Black Swan’ has a frighteningly sensual scene between Mila Kunis and Natalie Portman. The two ladies get intimate in an incredibly tense sequence that is bound to get you excited and scared at the same time. Aronofsky keeps you on the edge here as the tension builds up while managing to infuse a wildly sensual tone, further elevated by the venomous beauty of Kunis and Portman.
2. Blue is the Warmest Color (2013)
‘Blue is the Warmest Colour‘ gained quite the hype not just for its sex scenes but also for how amazingly well crafted it is. However, one thing that gained publicity in a controversial way mostly for the American audience is the “French way” of depicting the extremely graphic sex scene between the two main characters, Adele and Emma. The twenty minutes of sex surely tops any of the movies on this list but even if you take that away from this one, it sure has a lot to offer. It’s lovemaking portrayed in the most beautiful, affecting way.
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1. Mulholland Drive (2001) – Betty and Rita
‘Mulholland Drive’ is arguably the greatest film of the 21st century. Yet, many remember it because of the irresistibly powerful lovemaking scene between Betty and Rita midway through the film. Emotions are locked, desires unfeigned and souls intertwined. The sheer amount of grace, passion, and intimacy threw onto the scene here elevate the film to new heights as we get a peek into the characters, their frailties, and what makes them so vulnerable. It is a scene that you can never forget once you have watched it.
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