Interview: Naomi Bennett Creates A Netflix Style Platform for LGBTQ Women's Cinema

A Netflix for LGBTQ women’s films did not exist, so Naomi Bennett created one. In 2019, she founded LesFlicks, a video on demand platform with fan film viewing parties around the world. Countering against the exploitative misconceptions of what LGBTQ women in pop culture should be like, LesFlicks provides comforting films that treat female characters like human beings.

Did you have a standard, boring day job before you embarked on this business adventure? What is your story?

I did indeed (doesn’t everyone?!). My day job (which I am still doing to pay the bills whilst we seek investment or a business partner) is a legal secretary. I’ve worked across a wide range of industries including insurance, legal, property and retail over the years. It is something I fell into after completing a media studies GNVQ because I needed regular income. This career has given me access to a wide range of skills and knowledge; and supporting senior management and board members has equipped me with amazing skills that has helped me to network and identify and understand opportunities more easily. But after 10 years of trying to find an organisation who could see my wide breadth of skills and knowledge and who would invest in me beyond the secretarial role without success I realised that the only person who was going to invest in me, and who could help me to increase my earning potential and break me through the skills and pay barrier I was experiencing was me!

I first tried to break away from the day job five years ago after the death of my Mum; I had an opportunity to take some time off work, but the timing wasn’t right and I also didn’t have the right product. I was running an unpaid lesbian lifestyle blog at the time, and whilst it was fun – it was never going to bring in enough money for a night out, never mind a salary. I’m a big believer in fate, and timing and looking back, it was a good experience but now I am exactly where I need to be, doing what I should be doing – and I’m loving it. I’ve not been to university, but I’ve got a tonne of real life knowledge and I thrive on learning new things and collaborating and networking. I love to find creative and innovative solutions whilst working with my community.

The current challenge is finding a way to fund my time in these early days whilst we are building up the business; until then the days are long, but very rewarding and I know it is worth it! I launched Lesflicks in March 2019, and the video on demand platform followed in September 2019 – and I haven’t looked back since!

I want to talk to you a lot about how LGBTQ women’s films are marketed. Blue Is the Warmest Colour was sold as “adult entertainment.” It has a story. It’s sexy, absolutely, but it isn’t just that. It is a Cannes winner and an authentic story. Not to mention, it’s not “lesbian!” It is bi. Adele hooks up with men at the beginning. Rolling my eyes. Portrait of a Lady on Fire is an amazing film, but because it was billed by the critics as “another lesbian movie” so to speak, making it sound sleazy, it never wound up nominated for an Oscars. It had one Golden Globe nomination, while Hustlers, a far more exploitative movie that definitely sold the skin is in aspect over the feminism in it, was the talk of the town. Portrait of a Lady on Fire doesn’t get to the very brief sexy things until the movie is almost done! It’s all about friendship and the courtship of two people in a fleeting romance. The women look like any women you might see in any other period piece. What do you think must change for LGBTQ women’s stories to be acknowledged as credible movies by Hollywood?

The sexualisation of lesbian and bisexual women in general is a major problem, not just in film. You only have to look at media coverage – even in LGBT press coverage is only given to us when we are attacked and there is a picture of us covered in blood or when we are sexy. There are no good news stories, nothing celebrating successful women doing amazing things. The problem is so widespread that I sadly can’t see major changes happening anytime soon.

At present there aren’t enough women in key decision-making roles. Films made by women will always get less exposure, and so we need to find other ways to gain exposure. The good news is that from my research, the LBQ community aren’t reading Hollywood news or watching awards ceremonies to find out about lesbian films. They get recommendations from inside the community and from friends. So I think we are better placed putting our efforts into building an army of women and allies who can amplify the message about new film releases. I’m sure once we’re loud enough people from Hollywood will maybe start to pay attention, but then we can choose to engage or not and we’ll be in a strong position to negotiate good terms that benefit us.

You run an outstanding blog with film reviews. The power of words changes everything online because nowadays, critics are really biased with promoting movies to fit in. Everyone likes something because everyone is supposed to love it. What movies would you really like people reading this article to read?

This is an interesting point. There is definitely an inner circle promoting each other. You only need to look at films like La La Land – never have I seen so much advertising and promotion amongst so many different channels and so many people singing praises and promoting that film as first class, exceptional and amazing – but of course, it was a film about Hollywood and the film industry. If anyone said it wasn’t good, you’d be slating the very foundation of film. Referring again to the research piece, recommendations are by far the most powerful marketing tool out that, and so what can you do when you just aren’t getting coverage? Sadly this does lead to feed into the industry’s messaging, and the audience’s belief that lesbian films are poor quality and not worth watching. Granted some of them are far from perfect – but when you look at the budgets and the resources that were available and compare them to big Hollywood films, or even to more mainstream independent films – you can see that actually for what was available they’re not that bad! There is always something to take from any film – the soundtrack, the story, the characters, the representation. I think we need to be kinder about looking at lesbian film through the lens of understanding that content is being created in extremely challenging circumstances – but also to give these films a chance because the quality has moved on significantly since the earlier films and better technology is definitely helping lesbian film to move forward in leaps and bounds. 3 films I would suggest watching would be Professor Marsten and the Wonder Women (Angela Robinson), More Beautiful for Having Been Broken (Nicole Conn) and Booksmart (Olivia Wilde). I would also say, don’t read industry reviews and be careful to be swayed by press comments. Watch the film, judge for yourself, as only you know what films you like – we all have different tastes and by not watching a film because of someone else’s view means you could be missing out on some excellent entertainment.

While I particularly didn’t like some of the jokes her friends makes about her in the beginning of the movie, basically because I saw lots of LGBTQ girls at my own schools made fun of similarly and crying about it, I did enjoy the way the bi/lesbian girl in Booksmart had a goofy sex scene. She wasn’t exploited. It was her with a pretty girl, but the way it was done was not creepy. Since you really know a lot about women’s cinema made for LGBTQ audiences, what tips do you have for directors making women on women love scenes? Spill away. Pretty sure Hollywood has a lot to learn. Also, please let me know because I intend on someday including a bisexual storyline in an action movie with many characters and would hope it makes the audience happy! I have only made animation and one live action short so far.

I was a big fan of Booksmart and really pushed this to make sure women saw it. I held 4 film clubs for this release and have seen it in the cinema 5 times. It is definitely about finding a balance, and also making sure that your sex scene balances the mood of the movie. The Booksmart sex scene absolutely worked for the storyline – and as a coming of age film it is extremely clever in showing the challenges of being LGBTQ+, and also of first kisses, first crush, first sexual encounter – and yet it doesn’t have any villains or bad guys. It cleverly shows that everyone is driven by something, and that it isn’t as clear cut. The film talks to both mainstream and LGBTQ+ audiences because the experiences are universal. It offers hope – you can watch it and think about your first time and realise it doesn’t have to be (and often isn’t) perfect. That is the perfect example of the power of positive representation on screen and the impact on audiences. Interestingly LBQ audiences are really split on sex scenes – the split of loving and hating films like Blue is the Warmest Colour and Below Her Mouth (made as a women-led film in direct response to Blue is the Warmest Colour) is pretty much 50/50. Which only goes to show that just as we are all women loving women, this does not make us all the same. We are as diverse as the average cinema audience. There is no good or bad – however most women will recognise when a scene is unrealistic; and also praise good behaviours (Below Her Mouth won great praise for featuring on screen consent for the use of a strap on). Including a sex scene does increase your chances of mainstream distribution, but it doesn’t necessarily increase the intended audience. It isn’t sex that I hear LBQ women asking for; it is a film that offers them positive representation, a good storyline and where being LGBTQ+ is not the story itself, just that it happens to be there. We’re definitely moving more that way and Booksmart and More Beautiful for Having Been Broken are great examples of this.

You have a submission form for filmmakers to submit content. When you turn down movies, what do you look for as reasons to reject them? For example, what might qualify for making bi/lesbian characters seen positively enough to appear in your system and what makes you find it negative?

If I’m honest, I rarely turn down content. Every film has something to offer. I’m more interested in categorising films into collections that allow audiences to watch them and watch content with a kind eye through a lens of support and understanding. A first film from a filmmaker or student, may not be high quality and certainly can’t compare to more seasoned work – but there will be some aspect that film makes it deserving of an audience. We have to support filmmakers and films from the very first film – as without that support how will that filmmaker go on to make their second or third film. The only films I really struggle with are those that are particularly negative or damaging or clearly not made for an LBQ audience. More often I find that these are not made by someone within our community. Our content guidance helps us to pick the right films. We showcase films with a lesbian or bisexual storyline; and films that feature a lesbian or bisexual character in a supporting role where that character is portrayed in a positive light.

Why should men, LGBTQ and straight, support LGBTQ lady films? How do they learn anyway, when LGBTQ women’s films get buried under films with more “family approved” storylines?

Everyone should support all films. Film is so powerful in helping you to see a situation from another point of view. It is a way to escape and experience something different. It is extremely educational whilst being entertaining. I learnt so much about the Jewish community from Disobedience. It offered representation I wanted, and I also learnt something. This is why positive representation is important however; and why it is important that mainstream platforms show diverse films, and not just highly sexualised content. There is a lot of LGBTQ+ life in history. You only have to look at films like Can You Ever Forgive Me, The Favourite, Colette and upcoming film Ammonite to see that. Looking at the box office, a historical biographical film is far more likely to get distribution with a cinema release; and so more of the audience have heard of, and seen these films. Whilst these films offer a glimpse into history which is essential, they don’t offer the happy ending the audience is looking for. I hear far too often from LBQ women that there are not enough lesbian films to watch – when the truth is that there are hundreds, but the community doesn’t know the films exist. By not showing more fictional and diverse lesbian films in the cinema, this reinforces a believe that LBQ women are niche – which is far from true – we are just less visible. You only have to look at how there was significantly less social media activity around lesbian day of visibility compared to trans day of visibility to see that visibility is a real issue. It is estimated that there are over 10 million women worldwide who don’t identify as heterosexual over the age of 15; we’re just not connected and we’re not as visible.

Some people from an LGBTQ film festival a while back told me about being defunded from some sort of grant they were receiving. Film festivals are not always profitable if they are not as widely known as Tribeca, and being LGBTQ doesn’t exactly help with lots of the negativity out there. How do you stay afloat? What business plans do you have keeping the system going so it is around decades from now?

Funding is an ongoing challenge across lesbian film – more so for lesbian and bisexual women’s film than for gay men’s films. From the very outset – the industry won’t fund these films because of a perception of a lack of paying audience; and so it is much slower and much tougher to get a lesbian film made in the first place. Festivals often try to go for bankable big titles. LGBTQ+ festivals need to cater to a very wide audience – there are a lot of letters in the community, and as a community that crosses so many socio-economic areas we are all vastly different in our circumstances and lived experiences. I’m aware of the challenges and so have been thinking about this with LesFlicks.

I do believe that we are going to be more successful in getting the films made and to the intended audience by working together. Promoting each other’s work and combining resources. Many hands make light work and many voices amplify the message. I certainly hope to work more closely with film festivals to promote the films that they are showcasing. The whole film festival format and funding could change drastically after 2020. We need to become more innovative, use technology and collaborate to share costs and maximise efficiencies and costs.

Because it is a painful reality people online are horrible, do you have any personal stories about LesFlicks being harassed or disrespected? How have those experiences made you feel more of a go getter proving haters wrong?

I have to say that I have been extremely lucky and haven’t experienced too much negativity online. I always try to be positive, and also considerate of where any comments are coming from. Occasionally we do get a tweet or message that is fairly harsh or rude challenging us for being anti-trans. It may seem easy to respond in the same tone as the original message but this is not effective or practical. I understand that with a brand name like LesFlicks, and with there being way more content out there for lesbian storylines it can look like we don’t support other non-heterosexual women including bisexuals and trans women. I usually reply with a super nice and friendly message in return explaining our positioning. The LGBTQ+ community does get a lot of hatred online, and so I think it is sometimes easy to be on edge and to respond to messages. It is a defence mechanism; however it can be extremely damaging and is a huge contributor to the breakdown of relations between various parts of the LGBTQ+ community. I love to collaborate and work with people and so I suppose I just surround myself with positivity and supportive people. I don’t have the time or energy to engage with negativity. Love lesbian film – chat and join us. Not a fan, that is ok and I may try to engage with you and explain why you should think again – but I won’t be drawn into an online fight. The best way to prove the industry wrong about the lack of a paying audience, and to show the world that lesbian and bisexual women are not niche, is to be positive, supportive and keep moving forward. Our success will speak volumes!

Do you have any personal stories about being disrespected by LGBTQ people in or out of the entertainment you would least expect to be mean? I have had a male LGBTQ publicist decline to work with me because I was “unprofessional;” I asked him his PR rates. I had confided in him amongst some things about how his being gay made me feel safe for the first time because prior straight male and female PR folks I wanted to work with but didn’t many years ago pressured me to date people for getting press, against my morals. And I also told him about tough personal issues like being assaulted a decade ago, my career goals, embracing non-stuffy media like Maxim up with high brow magazines, my love of industry men I think are amazing, private career tips stuff some things filmmakers have told me one on one, and so on. He blocked me and wrote me a scathing e-mail implying I am weird. Weird ... for me revealing personal stuff that affects women (and men!), I am not joking. I was speechless! Well, guess what? All that he has made me done is get to the point where I am able to phrase those things in writing for everyone to read so that’s a step ahead. I have never had this happen before and it really hurt that revealing my soul to someone I thought I could trust meant I am “weird.” What about you? Oh, and needless to say, I don’t use him as a PR rep. I use a (more affordable, understanding) woman I found by referral!

So far I’ve been really lucky within the entertainment industry and everyone has been helpful and supportive (if they’ve replied to me!). I’ve had some great conversations and am building some great contacts. I think in life you end up with two lists; those you want to work with and those you don’t. Collaborators and networkers and those just putting themselves first. Interestingly there have been two areas that I have found quite disappointing – the first is that, as a lesbian-identifying woman who didn’t go to university and who ended up in an administrative role – often I am not treated as equal by more senior people, both inside and outside of the LGBTQ+ community. Despite being a key person setting up several LGBTQ+ corporate networks, and having run my own business, I was asked to step down from a board after I returned to secretarial work (I needed a minimum income and employed role to re-mortgage) after I had to leave a freelance role. My existing skills and experience was immediately disregarded and I was judged for that current position.

I have struggled to get any press or media coverage for any of the films on the platform, or as an entrepreneur personally. None of my events, thankfully, have resulted in my attendees being attacked or discriminated against, and sadly this seems to be the only type of news story that gets any coverage surrounding LGBTQ people. The success, unfortunately, of setting up Europe's first dedicated lesbian and bisexual video on demand platform or of safe and welcoming events that offer socials and visibility of lesbian film is just not newsworthy in this current climate.

You talked about research and data above a couple of times. What have been a few successes in your first year of running LesFlicks?

Data is definitely essential in dispelling myths. So one of the first things I started to do with LesFlicks was track everything! We’ve had some amazing successes. In the first 9 months of running we held 34 events either alone or in collaboration with others; we supported 74 short and feature films and we filled 830 seats in screenings and cinemas. After just 6 months we launched Europe’s first video on demand platform that is available worldwide. We already have 50 items available and are regularly adding new content. We have been blown away by the positive reaction to our platform and website – and due to lockdown we saw a 300% increase in subscriptions and also in views in March. We’re now planning on both expanding the platform, analysing the data collected to date and also looking to get ready to return to cinemas. We’re excited to be connecting with women in various corners of the UK so that when cinemas re-open we can quickly and easily offer a film on the big screen and offer both representation and also a social with like-minded women in their community. We’re very excited about this!