Director: Paul Downs Colaizzo
While not exclusively a queer film, the protagonist (Jillian Bell) has a meaningful subplot involving a female love interest. It’s a rare mainstream studio comedy where a woman seeking a woman is treated as entirely normal, not a punchline.
The number “168” remains ambiguous. It could point to:
Given that, we recommend seeking out the 2019 lesbian short film compilations from festivals like LGBTQ Shorts: Women Seeking Women (available on Dekkoo or Vimeo On Demand). Many of those shorts run 5–15 minutes; a bundle of 15–20 shorts could indeed total 168 minutes. women seeking women 168 girlfiends films 2019
Director: Céline Sciamma
Runtime: 121 minutes (not 168, but essential)
Though it premiered at Cannes in 2019 and saw wide release in early 2020, Portrait of a Lady on Fire is the gold standard for women-seeking-women cinema. Set in 18th-century Brittany, a female painter is commissioned to paint a reluctant bride-to-be. The result is a slow-burn, visually stunning masterpiece about the gaze, memory, and forbidden love. No list of 2019 girlfriends films is complete without it. Director: Paul Downs Colaizzo While not exclusively a
Why it fits: The entire film is about two women actively seeking each other through art and secrecy.
Before diving into the films, it’s worth understanding the context. In 2019, streaming services (Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime) began aggressively acquiring queer content. Film festivals like Sundance, Toronto, and Berlin featured more lesbian-centric stories than ever before. Moreover, the “women seeking women” narrative moved beyond coming-out tropes to explore mature themes: marriage, parenthood, class differences, and historical erasure. Given that, we recommend seeking out the 2019
Here are the must-watch films from 2019 that embody the search for connection between women.
2019 marked a shift from “tragic lesbians” to “complicated humans.” Films like Booksmart showed a gay teen getting the girl and going to college happy. Portrait showed love as intellectual and sensual without exploitation. A Secret Love reminded us that queer women have always existed, enduring and thriving.
For anyone searching “women seeking women 168 girlfiends films 2019,” you are part of a growing audience demanding visibility. The misspelling of “girlfriends” is endearing—it suggests a rush to find content, a desire for stories that mirror your own heart.
Director: Annabel Jankel
Set in 1950s Scotland, a single mother and a female doctor fall in love. Starring Anna Paquin and Holliday Grainger, this period drama is a classic “women seeking women in a repressive society” narrative. It’s angsty, beautiful, and features an evocative bee-keeping metaphor.