The Only All-Lesbian Film Festival in the U.S. Takes Place in This UNESCO Creative City
Sapphism hits the big screen at the Cinema Systers Film Festival
As they say, when one lesbian festival closes, another one opens. And in the case of a grassroots effort in far-western Kentucky, it all started with an acorn.
Such is the story of Cinema Systers Film Festival, the only all-lesbian film festival in the U.S., founded in the river city of Paducah in 2016. One of just nine UNESCO Creative Cities in the country, art has long played a pivotal role in the evolution of Paducah, where manufacturing initially dominated the economy thanks to its location at the confluence of the Ohio and Tennessee Rivers. Whereas some river towns succumbed to collapse, Paducah thrived, largely thanks to its dexterous investment in the arts, and its penchant for preserving historic buildings. With incentives like its Artist Relocation Program, which set a model for other cities nationwide, Paducah breathed new life into its historic facades, while incoming artists — across all mediums, from quilts to culinary — have shaped it into an oasis of inclusivity, creativity, and Pride.
One such medium is on display at Cinema Systers Film Festival, a filmmaker-focused event taking place this year May 22-25. The only one of its kind in the country, all films screened are from lesbian filmmakers from across the globe, accented by a lineup of workshops, performances, and parties geared towards lesbians, non-binary, and queer women.
It’s the vision of Paducah’s Laura Petrie, Cinema Systers’ founder and director, who got the idea from an acorn in Michigan. Well, technically.
“I’ve been an activist, a feminist, and an organizer for my lifetime,” says Petrie, recalling her annual trips to the Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival, before it ended in 2015. “They handed out acorns to all of us, and told us to go home and plant our acorns to produce safe spaces for women. And I decided my acorn was going to be a film festival for lesbian filmmakers, which is an acutely underrepresented part of the filmmaking community.”
That seed of an idea grew into Cinema Systers Film Festival the following year, featuring lesbian-made films from around the world, and women traveling to Paducah for the festival from half a dozen countries. Describing it as a four-day women’s art and cultural festival, with cinema as the centerpiece, Petrie highlights programming from spoken-word and music performances, to catered parties, workshops, and Q&As.
“There are other lesbian film festivals in the world, but some of those films are made by men about lesbians,” Petrie distinguishes. “Ours is different in that we don’t care what the film’s about, but it has to be made from a lesbian’s point of view. We have films that are about lesbians, but some have nothing to do with that.”
With topics ranging from sinister cats to a Bangladeshi coming out story, the 2025 film lineup runs the gamut — with Petrie highlighting Bulletproof: A Lesbian’s Guide to Surviving the Plot, Regan Latimer’s documentary about queer representation on television.
This year, all screenings take place at downtown’s Maiden Alley Cinema, while other events occur nearby, including an opening night soiree at Paducah Beer Werks on May 22, and a melodic music set from Aurora & Antheia at O&A’s Piano Bar on May 24. “Paducah is so cute, and it’s the perfect little setup for something like this,” Petrie says of the downtown setting, marked by flood wall murals, art galleries, and the National Quilt Museum. “People can walk from venue to venue, and there’s shopping and eateries all around. We have women travel here every year from out of state and out of country, and they just love Paducah.”
Looking onward, Petrie hopes to continue to grow Cinema Systers, and move into the nearby Columbia Art House, an Art Deco theater from 1927 that, once renovations are complete, can accommodate 600, and provide even more space for lesbian filmmakers and the queer community they inspire.
“We give voice to lesbian filmmakers,” Petrie adds. “Because they are acutely underrepresented in the film industry, in mainstream America, and in the world.”
For more information on Cinema Systers Film Festival, and to purchase tickets, visit here.
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I love this! I've been to Paducah numerous times as the access airport to my family's western Kentucky hometown! Thanks for sharing stories of the proud communities from rural America!