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What makes Emma Hough Hobbs and Leela Varghese’s adult animated feature Lesbian Space Princess unique is how it blends self-discovery with queer themes—and sets it all in space! It recalls Lexx, the cult Canadian sci-fi series with strong adult sensibilities. Here, the heroine Saira (Shabana Azeez) heads to the stars not to save her home planet, but to find Kiki, her ex-lover who wants nothing more to do with her. She’s hoping for a second chance—but can that happen?
Like the said series, she steals a “Problematic Ship” (Richard Roxburgh) and takes off in search of her lost love. She leaves the sanctuary of her homeworld, aptly named Clitopolis. If echoes of The Rocky Horror Picture Show don’t come knocking—because I couldn’t help wondering if the planet Transsexual from the system Transylvania might be nearby—then I don’t know what will. No shared universe is implied here, and I’m glad!
What follows is an adventure worthy of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy—or perhaps Xena: Warrior Princess. Saira’s journey is full of segues where she questions her worth, her identity, and whether she can live up to the woman of her dreams. In that way, she’s a little like Gabrielle from the early Xena days—her confidence found only through trial. It’s a satisfying bit of character growth that anyone can relate to.
Saira’s companions are equally fascinating. She contends with a chauvinistic AI running her ship and a crew of what looks like toilet paper with an identity crisis of their own. What all these characters learn is valuable: you don’t have to depend on others to define who you are. At its heart, this film is an exploration of self-worth and identity. Sometimes, the people you meet later in life prove better for you than the ones you cling to. Willow (Gemma Chua-Tran) is a pop star turned runaway, and Blade (Kween Kong) a drag-queen weapons expert whose loyalties are, shall we say, flexible. If that doesn’t define “weird,” I’m not sure what does!
With self-deprecating wit and meta-commentary that undercuts heroism rather than glorifying it, Lesbian Space Princess delivers a wild and wacky ride. Even the paper-thin, gender-curious shipmates have their say about life. Whether their flimsy forms represent fragile masculinity or simply serve as a comic sideshow is up to the viewer.
Ultimately, what’s offered from these Australian filmmakers is a clever send-up of both 1980s sci-fi and modern queer storytelling—absurd and heartfelt in equal measure, its raw emotional truth shining through every layer of cosmic camp.
4 Stars out of 5
Lesbian Space Princess Trailer
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