I usually think of Claire of the Moon as a 1980s lesbian film, a classic made during the time when political discussions seemed mandatory in lesbian life. Younger viewers especially often seem turned off by the "talkiness" of this movie, but I don't think it's entirely unrealistic for its time.

Claire (Trisha Todd) and Noel (Karen Trumbo) both attend a writers workshop and share an apartment there. Trisha sleeps around with men. Noel is a serious writer and very much a lesbian. Their characters seem so dissimilar, but they make a connection, and we can see Claire finally become more comfortable with her sexual self.

The end of the film features an extremely well done love scene. It does take a while to get there. The acting is uneven, and the dialog is heavy, but perhaps we need to appreciate Claire for what it is. The dvd extras (or a separate tape on vhs) also tell the story of the struggle to make the movie in the first place, back when there were so very, very few films out there made by and for lesbians.

Written and directed by Nicole Conn (Cynara, little man).