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Every Lesbian Period Drama I’ve Ever Seen, Ranked

The Kate Winslet/Saoirse Ronan film “Ammonite” is the latest in a long list of period dramas that feature women exchanging furtive glances—and sometimes more in a hostile world. But which ones reign supreme?…

“Oh, great. Another queer period piece about white women in bonnets furtively holding hands at the beach,” I may or may not have grumbled to myself when I first saw the trailer for Ammonite, the recently released Francis Lee film starring Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan as star-crossed, fossil-hunting lovers.

To be clear, I was, and am, extremely here for this kind of thing; after decades’ worth of content that portrayed lesbians exclusively as cat-owning spinsters or objects of straight male lust, the luxury of getting to feel meh about quality onscreen representation isn’t lost on me (especially when queer and trans people of color still have to fight to see themselves accurately portrayed in film and TV).

That said, after the runaway success of Portrait of a Lady on Fire last year, I started noticing just how much of the women-who-love-women canon is set in a time period other than the present. It’s possible that that’s beginning to change, with contemporary movies like the K-Stew-led Christmas rom-com Happiest Season on the horizon, but for now, we might as well appreciate what we’ve got (or at least hate-watch it). Below, find a list of every lesbian period drama I’ve ever seen, in order of how much I enjoyed them.

The Handmaiden (2016): This South Korean psychological thriller is on The Guardian’s list of best movies of the century—non-lesbian-specific, even!—and for good reason. It’s ridiculously sexy, without veering over into the exploitative weirdness that defines, say, Blue is the Warmest Color.

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Portrait of a Lady On Fire (2019): Yes, it’s a white-ladies-in-bonnets movie, but director Céline Sciamma broke the mold when she made this one. Unfortunately, female-helmed lesbian cinema still isn’t the norm, so it was particularly meaningful to see Sciamma win big at Cannes last year.

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Carol (2015): It’s absolutely a Christmas movie, and yes, it should be regarded as such. The day I thought a sequel was coming our way was one of the happiest of my life.

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The Favourite (2018): Olivia Colman as a woman driven mad by her lesbian crushes, who simply won’t stop eating cake despite its deleterious effects on her health? Finally, a movie I see myself in!

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Bessie (2015): This biopic about blues singer Bessie Smith is HBO’s most-watched original film of all time, and Queen Latifah’s performance is well worth the film’s occasional slow parts.

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Reaching for the Moon (2013): The love story between American poet Elizabeth Bishop and Brazilian architect Lota de Macedo Soares is beautifully depicted in this Bruno Barreto film.

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Colette (2018): I saw this biographical drama on a third date that ended up going nowhere, but I remember thinking, “I wish I were seeing this alone so I could focus on it more.” High praise!

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Elisa & Marcela (2019): This drama about the first same-sex marriage in Spain is visually stunning, even if its content doesn’t quite live up to the significance of the story it’s representing.

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Lizzie (2018): There’s only so much dislike that I can hold for any movie that stars Kristen Stewart as a queer character, even one that doesn’t exactly end in fulfilled lesbian joy, to say the least.

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Ammonite (2020): I got bored halfway through, despite this movie’s obvious technical merit. Glad it exists, though!

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Wild Nights with Emily (2018): As much as I love Molly Shannon, I just wasn’t into this romantic-comedy retelling of Emily Dickinson’s life. To be fair, maybe a diehard Dickinson fan would have a better review?

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Vita & Virginia (2018): Love the attempt to portray the affair between writers Vita Sackville-West and Virginia Woolf…but, unfortunately, hate the execution, which drags on and on for an interminable two hours.

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Gentleman Jack (2019—): Ugh. No landlords at Pride, even ones in gender-bending breeches. Sorry.

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Air Jordan 3 “Paris” Reportedly Trades Elephant Print for Damask

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Jordan Brand may be preparing to drop a special Air Jordan 3 dedicated to one of the world’s most recognizable cities. Landing in June 2027, the Air Jordan 3 “Paris” comes with a unique design that ditches the usual elephant print. Instead, the rumored edition is said to feature damask detailing, special Paris-inspired branding, and a limited drop focused on the French capital.

The first word comes from @zSneakerHeadz, but Jordan Brand has not confirmed the sneaker yet. A mockup is currently circulating, so the final look may differ. That said, the described design is an interesting direction for the Air Jordan 3, especially for fans used to seeing elephant print as one of the silhouettes hallmark visual elements.

The shoe is said to feature a white tumbled leather upper with a navy rubber outsole. The most noticeable change is replacing the traditional elephant print with a damask print. The pattern is reportedly on the toe and heel, with another section next to the Jumpman logo on the tongue. The treatment gives the sneaker a different visual character without straying from the Air Jordan 3’s recognizable structure.

More branding is expected to tie the release closely to its namesake city. The mudguard is said to have the wording “Jordan Paris Family 91, 92, 93, 94,” while the heel is said to have “NIKE PRS.” The details give the shoe a more specific identity than a simple colorway, with the reported inscriptions presenting it as a tribute to Paris and its role in the Jordan Brand story.

The sneaker is expected to be released in men’s sizing and will carry the style code JJ3727-100. It retails for $230 and will be available in select Jordan Brand stores in Paris. If the release details are accurate, the limited distribution may make the pair tough for sneaker fans outside the city to get their hands on. But the brand has not confirmed the information that has been reported, and the image shown is a mockup and not an official product reveal.

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The Air Jordan 3 “Paris” is also expected to join a growing list of regional releases such as the Air Jordan 3 “Middle East.” These projects give Jordan Brand the chance to attack the same silhouette through various regional themes, not just the usual retro colorways. The damask pattern with city-specific branding would, in this case, make the Paris edition clearly distinct.

This classic Air Jordan 3 shape combined with a strange pattern is bound to appeal to collectors. The expected Paris-only distribution adds another layer of exclusivity, although the final release details have yet to be confirmed. If the June 2027 launch comes to fruition as described, the Air Jordan 3 “Paris” could be one of the more unique regional editions on Jordan Brand’s calendar.

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Nike LeBron 24 “Christmas” – Holiday Collection Gets Grinchy Green Look

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Nike Basketball’s holiday collection is starting to take shape, and LeBron James’ latest signature shoe is bringing a particularly loud look to the seasonal crop. First-look images of the Nike LeBron 24 “Christmas” have surfaced, showcasing a black and electric green colorway with metallic silver accents. The rumored Grinch-inspired direction of the upcoming release is shaping up to be one of the more unique additions to Nike’s Christmas footwear collection.

The shoe will be dropped on December 4 for $200. Its most striking feature is the electric green colorway, which gives the design a strong visual identity. Black is used on the upper for contrast, and metallic silver is seen on the Swoosh near the heel. Another contrasting touch comes from a red logo on the tongue, offering a subtle nod to holiday colors within the overall aesthetic. The shoe continues the theme with a green rubber outsole below.

Aside from the looks, the LeBron 24 “Christmas” also features performance elements associated with the broader LeBron 24 line. The outsole has a Zoom Turbo unit that is said to keep the shoe light and quick. That bit gives the holiday edition purpose beyond just its seasonal styling, keeping it tied to the basketball performance direction of the signature series.

The Grinch concept is part of a larger “naughty list” theme that also includes the Sabrina 4 and Book 2. Rather than treating the LeBron 24 as a standalone holiday release, Nike seems to be building a connected seasonal collection around the idea. The electric green colorway fits that direction, making the shoe pop while giving the broader theme a recognizable visual thread.

The first glimpse of the sneaker came via a 360-degree video Nike shared. The audience got a first look at the color blocking and design details as the shoe was presented from various angles. A handful of basketball creators also got a sneak peek at the pair earlier on a trip to Nike headquarters, helping build the early hype around the release.

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The style code is IO8205-300 and the shoe is expected to drop in men’s sizing through Nike and select retailers. The December 4 date and $200 price point give us a sense of what to expect, but the information provided doesn’t list every retailer that will sell the sneaker.

The Nike LeBron 24 ‘Christmas’ is holiday-themed and performance-inspired for LeBron’s signature line, featuring a bright green colorway with silver details, red tongue branding, and an outsole with Zoom Turbo cushioning. Its Grinch-inspired theme also fits clearly into Nike Basketball’s broader seasonal plans. If you’re a fan of the brand’s Christmas releases, this pair is already making a strong first impression.

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