Few titles spark curiosity quite like Lesbian Space Princess, a film that invites you to expect the unexpected.
Turns out, it was this quirky title itself – and nothing else – that got this film off the ground.
Leela Varghese’s film went on to take the prestigious Teddy Award at the Berlinale Film Festival this year at the film’s world premiere and is now coming to the Sydney Film Festival.
The Adelaide-based director tells Indian Link, “My partner and co-director Emma Hough Hobbs was in the shower when this title suddenly came to her. What started as a joke was built into a story – we ended up with a riotous animated adventure through the vastness of queer space, but it has a heart to it with a strong message.”
The story follows an introverted lesbian space princess (voiced by Indo-Australian actress Shabana Azeez), who goes on a quest to save her bounty hunter ex-girlfriend from the Straight White Maliens (voiced by comedy group Aunty Donna), a satirical take on oppressive, homogenising forces in the galaxy.
The film blends Leela’s experience in comedy and Emma’s expertise in animation, two areas in which they felt women were under-represented.
“We wanted to create a character who represents the experiences of real women, especially those who are both brave and anxious. The goal was to showcase women who can be strong while also dealing with vulnerability and awkwardness—something we could relate to personally,” says Leela.
She adds, “We wanted to tell a story that is important to us and feels personal and meaningful. In the end, it becomes a story of self-love – learning to value yourself, separate of other people’s validation.”
The award-winning Indian/Lebanese filmmaker is known for her joyful queer stories which spotlight cultural diversity in Australia. Her short film I’m the Most Racist Person I Know which premiered at SXSW Austin 2025, and where it won the Special Jury Award, is also screening at Sydney Film Festival.
“Being half Lebanese and half Australian, my stories are always representing second or third generation immigrants. I make sure that my lead character showcases a voice that I understand and can relate to, being an immigrant kid. It’s my authentic voice. It’s not every day that you see a South Asian as a lead in an adult animation.”
While the animation is an example of how we are nurturing fresh and diverse voices in storytelling, Leela also refers to this film as her ‘labour of love’.
“The film is inspired from our personal journey and made with a small team. Emma and I are also romantic partners, so it’s our baby, our labour of love. The love also comes from everyone who stepped on board and believed in and trusted the vision because it is a small independent animated feature.”
Leela will also join four debut filmmakers at a SFF talk to share the challenges they faced in getting their first features onto the big screen.
As an independent filmmaker, Varghese is thankful for the support her project has received – especially in a landscape where securing funding and opportunities in Australia can be challenging.
“We have to pay huge credit to South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC) – the way they support South Australian filmmakers is unmatched compared to other states. Lesbian Space Princess comes from their Film Lab: New Voices initiative. We are also very grateful to Sydney Film Festival – they are not only showcasing this film, but celebrating it.”
She acknowledges however, that the path for small independent filmmakers is not without its obstacles.
“Regarding opportunities for filmmakers like us, we do feel a disconnect between Australia and international film festivals,” she muses. “It’s because the Australian film industry is smaller compared to the global industry. At times, you have to go overseas to get noticed and some voices do better in a global market than Australia. That’s why it is important to tell all kind of diverse stories, specially coming from the younger generation.”
For this young and promising filmmaker, the hope is her film Lesbian Space Princess is just the start of a larger galactic quest. With screenings taking place all over the world, the film will be travelling next to SXSW London and San Francisco for Frameline, the longest running and largest queer exhibition in the world.
“We are thrilled and excited, but also nervous as small filmmakers. We would love Sydneysiders to watch our film and join us for the after party which is going to be a lot of fun.”
Director/co-writer Leela Varghese and Emma Hough Hobbs will be at the SFF State Theatre screening on Thursday 5 June and the Sydney Opera House screening on Saturday 7 June.
Read more: Indian LGBTQ in Australia: Dom-Ben, Kashif-Danny, Sheetal-Suz
