Lesbian Space Princess is a 2024 Australian animated comedy film. It is the debut feature film by writer-directors Emma Hough Hobbs and Leela Varghese and producer Tom Phillips, and premiered at the Adelaide Film Festival on 27 October 2024.
| Lesbian Space Princess | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Emma Hough Hobbs Leela Varghese |
| Written by | Emma Hough Hobbs Leela Varghese |
| Produced by | Tom Phillips |
| Starring | (Voices of)
|
| Edited by | Ben Fernandez |
| Music by | Michael Darren |
Production company | We Made A Thing Studios |
| Distributed by | Umbrella Entertainment (Australia) |
Release date |
|
Running time | 86 minutes |
| Country | Australia |
Plot
editThis article needs an improved plot summary. (October 2024) |
An anxious and introverted space princess Saira, who has thus far led a sheltered life, launches into a galactic quest to save her ex-girlfriend Kiki, a bounty hunter, from the "Straight White Maliens". A runaway gay-pop idol joins her as she encounters dangerous maniacs wielding blades, "gloom goo", and other hazards, as well as – "the scariest thing of all" – her own self-doubt.[1][2][3]
Cast
editVoices of:[4]
- Shabana Azeez
- Gemma Chua-Tran
- Bernie Van Tiel
- Richard Roxburgh
- Aunty Donna
- Kween Kong as Blade
- Madeleine Sami
- Jordan Raskopoulos
- Demi Lardner
- Reuben Kaye
Production
editThe film was greenlit for production under the South Australian Film Corporation and Adelaide Film Festival's Film Lab: New Voices mentoring and funding initiative,[1] following the inaugural round of the scheme in 2021, which led to sci-fi thriller Monolith premiering at the 2022 Adelaide Film Festival and enjoying international success. The Lesbian Space Princess team were eligible for up to A$600,000 in screen production grant funding for their script.[2]
Lesbian Space Princess is the debut feature film by Emma Hough Hobbs and Leela Varghese, who wrote and directed the film.[4] Hough Hobbs is an artist, and writer/director Varghese a former award-winner at Tropfest.[1] The film was produced by Tom Phillips of We Made A Thing Studios.[4][5][1]
In May 2024, Adelaide Film Festival launched its "Adelaide Film Festival Goes to Cannes" program,[6] partnering with Cannes Film Festival's film market, the Marché du Film, to showcase five local projects in an official presentation; Lesbian Space Princess was one of the five chosen, and Leela Varghese joined nine other emerging filmmakers at Cannes.[7][8]
The graphic artists who worked on the film used Toon Boom Harmony, VFX, and high-end compositing. The production team worked at Artisan Post Group's space at Lot Fourteen, Adelaide, who worked on post-production of the Netflix series Stateless and ABC series Aftertaste, among others.[1]
Music was by Michael Darren, and Ben Fernandez did the editing.[4]
Hough Hobbs and Fernandez are both graduates of Flinders University's Creative Arts degrees.[9]
Themes
editThe story, inspired by the filmmakers' own lives, includes themes that relate to LGBTQI people, and themes include the importance of self-worth and self-love, feeling free to take up space, and being comfortable with your own company.[1]
Release
editLesbian Space Princess premiered at the Adelaide Film Festival on 27 October 2024, and both screenings were sold out.[4]
Australian distribution is being handled by Umbrella Entertainment.[3]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f "Kween Kong, a lesbian space princess and a first for South Australia". Lot Fourteen. 12 February 2024. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
- ^ a b Slatter, Sean (16 May 2023). "'Lesbian Space Princess' heads into production from Film Lab: New Voices". IF Magazine. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
- ^ a b "Lesbian Space Princess (2024)". Screen Australia. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
- ^ a b c d e "Lesbian Space Princess". Adelaide Film Festival. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
- ^ "About". Wemat Studios. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
- ^ Barlow, Helen (20 May 2024). "French connection: film takes director from KI to Cannes". InReview. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
- ^ "Adelaide Film Festival Goes To Cannes". Adelaide Film Festival. 3 May 2024. Retrieved 28 October 2024. Booklet
- ^ "Lesbian Space Princess". Marché du Film. 25 April 2024. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
- ^ Rowe, Leonard (2 October 2024). "Don't miss the Flinders features at Adelaide Film Festival". Alumni stories. Retrieved 28 October 2024.