I don’t care if climate change has kept the weather in my city cold. I don’t care if my government is trying to legislate me out of existence. It is the last week of May and I WILL be getting excited for summer. That means wearing a crop top — even if I’m shivering in said crop top.

To welcome in the summer vibes, here are ten hot lesbian and queer women films that take place during the summer and can inspire sex, adventure, reckless behavior, and maybe even falling in love.

No, this list does not include My First Summer, Summer of Sangailė, or Cocoon, because those films are less “hot lesbian summer” and more “emotional YA summer” which is also totally valid but not what we’re talking about here. This also doesn’t include the wonderful film In the Summers, because that’s more a “spend time with your divorced dad summer” vibe.

And if you want even more lesbian movies check out Autostraddle’s Encyclopedia of Lesbian Cinema.

Anaïs in Love

Not only is it the start of summer, it’s also Gemini season. And that means there’s never been a better time to embrace your inner chaos demon. Maybe that means having an affair with an older man and then getting obsessed with his wife and then having an affair with her instead! This movie is simmering with a beautiful screwball energy and also has a great beach sex scene.

Bumblefuck, USA

Okay maybe a movie about a woman mourning the death of her gay friend who died by suicide doesn’t feel like quite the right vibe for hot lesbian summer. But the fact is no matter how much I want to shut out the grief of the world, that’s not really possible! So it’s actually really great to have an example of queer full of melancholy who still manages to adventure and explore and have hot sex.

Chestnut

As someone of mostly sexless, very drawn-out situationship experience, I love this movie about a recent college grad who spends a summer entangled with a straight(?) couple. A lot of queer movies have the flirty straight girl archetype, but this just feels so much more honest about what that really looks like. It’s not about straight vs. gay but about a person who likes the attention of someone who hasn’t learned to pay attention to herself.

Hearts Beat Loud

This film definitely leans toward the wholesome, but if you’re going to start a music duo with your soon-to-be empty nester dad, it doesn’t hurt to also spend that summer falling for Sasha Lane. The father/daughter story is sweet, but the movie’s spark is the chemistry between Lane and Kiersey Clemons.

Holy Camp!

A lot of gay summer movies are about people in high school or college — I suppose because the summer means more on a school schedule — but, personally, I think there’s no age limit to falling in love with a nun or literally God himself. True to its English language title, this Spanish film is a wild good time. It’s also a genuinely moving story of romance, friendship, and blasphemous faith.

Laurel Canyon

Are you really experiencing summer if you’re not kissing your boyfriend’s mom or your son’s girlfriend?? While this is a movie of complicated dynamics and fraught tension more than full-on scandal, in the hands of Lisa Cholodenko it all feels super queer.

Love, Spells and All That

Starting mid-July, Mercury is going to be retrograde which means it’ll be the perfect time to reconnect with people from the past. This Turkish film about childhood sweethearts reuniting decades later is a perfect primer for romance, regret, and second chances.

My Summer of Love

Sometimes a hot lesbian summer is a toxic homoerotic friendship that evolves into a romance without losing any of the toxicity. Emily Blunt’s breakout film is certainly not a portrait of summer bliss, but it is worth watching if you want a dose of summertime sadness.

Princess Cyd

I love this movie so much! And it’s truly the ideal summer vibe! It’s a celebration of pleasure and the things that bring us joy that makes room for sex, community, intellectual stimulation, and cake! There’s no judgement here. There’s value in wherever you find enrichment even if it’s different from those around you. Personally, I’m greedy and would like all of the above.

Summertime

The title says it all. This is the lesbian summer movie. With hot sex scenes, a heavy dose of yearning, and connection over political action, this is a perfect film to kickoff the summer. It also acknowledges the impermanence of many of life’s joys, so soak up the sun — proverbial and literal — while you have it!

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