Lou is a reclusive gym manager who falls hard for Jackie, an ambitious bodybuilder who’s heading to Las Vegas to pursue her dream. Their love soon leads to violence as they get pulled deep into the web of Lou’s criminal family.

Selected by Unity Jalal

Unity (she/her) found her passion for independent film during her college years after collaborating with the Civic Center at Florida State University to create a documentary short film that illuminated the issue of homelessness in Tallahassee, Florida. She believes that film as LGBTQ+ art exists as both entertaining media and a cultural statement, permanently etching LGBTQ+ works into the cultural lexicon for the community to connect with as a part of a broader conversation. Since volunteering as a film screener for the Transgender Film Festival from 2021-2024, that passion has continued to grow until joining TIGLFF as a board member this year.

Here is why she picked it.

Love Lies Bleeding explores intense, sexy, and at times toxic, sapphic love reminiscent of 90’s neo-noir erotic crime thrillers. Despite the sometimes fantastical presentation, the constant push and pull of the addictive nature of an explosive relationship felt so real and relatable to relationships I’ve had in my past, and that I feel many other sapphic people can relate to in their own ways. Kristen Stewart and Katy O’Brian showcase their chemistry and acting prowess in this unapologetically gratuitous display of eroticism and mobster violence that’s gripping from beginning to end.