Bisexual stories
The films on this page explicitly center and highlight stories of openly bisexual people and characters. The lack of representation in the films I saw was striking.
To find these resources through your local library, please use the invaluable Worldcat.org and search by Title or Director or use the search box below!
Appropriate Behavior. Dir. Desiree Akhavan, 2014. 84 minutes
Hilariously and completely inappropriately, this engaging indie comedy explores the unique tribulations in the life of Shirin, a directionless Brooklynite struggling to navigate: dating as a modern bisexual woman, professional limbo, moving on and growing from a tumultuous breakup, and wrestling with how to come out as bisexual to her Persian family. Besides its wicked sense of humor, the strengths of this movie lie in its disinterest in cliché, its utterly lived-in, believable relationships between family, friends, and lovers, as well as the fresh perspective offered by the director/star on living at so many intersections of culture, ethnicity, and sexuality. Shirin is pulled in more directions than it seems she can bear but in the end, though nothing is “solved,” the viewer is left with the impression that Shirin will be able to handle what life throws at her next – she’s growing, as all queer people must, in order to survive and thrive. A must-see…for mature audiences.
Bessie. Dir. Dee Rees, 2015. 111 minutes
Veteran lesbian filmmaker Dee Rees’s excellent direction and Queen Latifah’s electrifyingly charismatic performance elevate this overdue biopic of blues legend Bessie Smith. Smith overcame strict and destitute origins to become one of bestselling musical acts of the 1920s, despite her outspokenness, the crushing racism and sexism of the time, the unabashed expression of female sexuality in her music, and her not-particularly-discreet bisexual love affairs. Though Smith’s life was often difficult and tragic, this film’s hopefulness shines through while also providing visibility to bisexual people of color, often rendered completely invisible on screen.
U People. Dir. Hanifah Walida, 2009. 75 minutes
This self-styled “rockumentary” is an amazing curiosity in the best sense of the word. A group of queer Black and Latinx women come together to film a short film and music video, but Walida keeps the camera going beyond this project and catches a series of profoundly engaging conversations amongst the cast about the intersectionalities of living life as a Black lesbian in America. These discussions range from topics of privilege, being ignored by white LGBT activism, gender expression and quality of life, heteronormativity, and difficulty defining oneself when different identities and labels (bisexual, trans, lesbian, butch, femme, etc.) only partially apply to one’s experience. As these women express engagingly diverse opinions, the filming of the short film within this film provides an excellent narrative structure that grounds and focuses the film. Though they differ and disagree, they’re all working hard toward a meaningful end goal and it’s beautiful to behold.