THE STORY – The introverted Princess Saira, daughter of the flamboyant lesbian Queens of planet Clitopolis, is devastated when her girlfriend, the bounty hunter Kiki, suddenly breaks up with her for being too needy. When Kiki is kidnapped by the Straight White Maliens – forgotten incels of the future – Saira must leave the comforts of gay space to deliver the requested ransom: her Royal Labrys, the most powerful weapon known to lesbian kind. The only problem is… Saira doesn’t have it! With just a 24-hour window to get the weapon and save Kiki, Saira finds herself on an inter-gay-lactic journey of self-discovery, which includes encounters with a problematic spaceship and a new-found friendship with gay-pop runaway Willow.
THE CAST – Shabana Azeez, Gemma Chua Tran, Richard Roxburgh, Bernie Van Tiel & Mark Bonanno
THE TEAM – Emma Hough Hobbs & Leela Varghese (Directors/Writers)
THE RUNNING TIME – 87 Minutes
Titles are important. Some are thematic, like “Cries and Whispers” or “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.” Some are lengthy and descriptive, like “Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives” or “Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles.” And some get right to the point, like the new animated film “Lesbian Space Princess.” From that title, audiences can accurately glean whether or not the film is for them. And for those who are drawn to the title, they’re sure to have a great time. It’s a goofy trip of pure enjoyment aimed directly at queer viewers like a laser beam.
The titular lesbian space princess is Saira, an awkward 21-year-old whose royal moms rule the planet of Clitopolis. Like so many other animated monarchical heroines, Saira is intimidated by the big shoes she’s expected to fill by both her moms and her citizens. In fact, she hasn’t even accomplished a prerequisite ritual of maturation – the summoning of her magical labrys, or double-headed axe. And as if that weren’t enough, as the film opens, she’s unceremoniously dumped by Kiki. Although they’d only been together for two months, Saira’s heart was already completely bonded with her. When Kiki is abducted by a villainous collective of Straight White Maliens, Saira must overcome her fears and doubts to restore order to the gay universe.
In the world of “Lesbian Space Princess,” nothing is to be taken seriously. Jokes fly rapidly and with abandon, along with jokes within jokes and commentary about said jokes. When any film fires off this many punchlines, quips, and puns, inevitably, not all of them are going to land. But they’re deployed with such rapidity that every less-successful joke is almost immediately followed up by one that works. The smartest comedic choice the film makes is the use of charming mini-songs that underscore the action, often narrating what’s happening or expanding on Saira’s inner thoughts and hesitations.
The humor and general energy of the film are distinctly millennial (it even opens with a logo for WeMAT Studios, which is short for the very millennial-sounding “We Made a Thing Studios”). As such, the winking quality of some of the jokes can get a bit tiring, as do some of the observations about queer life vs. straight life, many of which are sure to feel outdated and over-discussed to any thirtysomething with a Twitter account. Still, some of the commentary about what makes lesbian lifestyles so exciting and proudly queer (as in non-standard) is both humorous and empowering.
The animation style is appropriately silly. So, to call this a “cartoon” would not be a disservice. Its general look brings to mind shows like “Adventure Time,” and the way that characters’ expressions and emotions are overly exaggerated is clearly influenced by anime. It’s a vibrant, colorful film that’s constantly visually engaging. It’s just fun to look at.
As Saira, Shabana Azeez gives a sympathetic, engaging voice performance. Saira constantly expresses self-doubt, which has the potential to become annoying (when a main character is continually undercutting themselves, it’s sometimes hard to care about them). But Azeez infuses her with an energy that’s appropriately pitiable without ever tipping over into being off-puttingly pathetic. Gemma Chua-Tran is the highlight of the voice cast, playing Willow, a headstrong musician that Saira encounters and with whom she forms a bond. Willow is energetic and loud, and Chua-Tran fully commits. She’s only onscreen for a little bit, but Chua-Tran gives the kind of supporting performance that makes the audience want to see much more of them.
“Lesbian Space Princess” is sure to play best for a niche audience, and the film knows it. In fact, its unapologetically sapphic perspective is part of its appeal – it never sacrifices its authentic voice in hopes of playing to a broader audience. It paints a picture of a more accepting, open-minded future where nobody’s colors are muted and nothing is taken too seriously.
