Featuring The Voices Of: Shabana Azeez, Gemma Chua-Tran, Richard Roxburgh
Written and Directed By: Ema Hough Hobbs and Leela Varghees
Release Year: 2025
Runtime: 86 minutes
*There Is No Known Audio description For This Title In The US*
What Is it?: A sheltered lesbian space princess must journey away from the comfort of her home to try and save her ex-girlfriend, who she still pines for, and has been captured by the Straight White Maleiens, who are seeking a battery for their chick magnet that the princess has. However, they have to lure her away from gay space, thus, of course, the kidnap and ransom scenario.
Why it Works: Part of me loves this just for existing. There’s a faction online that reacts to material like this with that four letter word. It starts with W, and has been used to define so many things, it has lost meaning.It manages to apply to an Australian film. The movement has gone international.
I have to laugh at the concerned content creators who believe that this film creates confusion for parents. It’s animated. They might take their kids. to Lesbian Space Princess? Granted, as a former movie theater employee, I used to see parents taking young kids to all sorts of deeply inappropriate material at very young ages because they wanted to see a film, and they couldn’t be bothered to find a babysitter. Two adults and one child for Saw. So, do I think kids will see this? Sure. That’s the world we live in. But I certainly don’t think it’ll be because parents stumble into this. Imagine if SNL had done a feature of the Ambiguously Gay Duo back in the day. Do you think parents would have taken the kids, or they would have assumed it was a little more like the South Park movie?
This is just adult animation, and it is representational, targeting a specific queer audience who will love this film. it’s campy, it’s silly, it’s provocative, and it knows exactly who will be watching the film, just like the creators of Big Mouth, Rick And Morty, Sausage Party, or any other edgy adult animation.
I thought the humor of the straight white male-iens was inventive. It isn’t painting them as some weird war lords, but rather just dudes wanting to find some chicks. However, in this reality, lesbians seem to have drawn in all the hot babes, so they ordered a chick magnet, but it didn’t come with batteries, and the super secret battery is something only the Princess has. It’s silly, because it is supposed to be. It doesn’t really alienate an entire demographic, as straight guys should appreciate the humor either way.
the voice cast, most of whom I’m unfamiliar with, did fine, and it’s even more impressive how good this film is, when you realize how little of a budget it had. I’d be remiss in saying that part of me was lost due to the lack of audio description, like I misunderstood a character entirely. I thought there was a robot, but it is more of a problematic spaceship. I don’t get the character designs, but I’ve heard the Male-iens are drawn in a way I didn’t initially expect.
This hasn’t been a banner year for animation,with a lot of animation I liked, or even really liked, but nothing that just felt like a forever film. last year, I was truly moved by the Wild Robot, and I have yet to have that experience this year. K-Pop demon Hunters and Elio are both really good, and this is around the same level as those two. Films I’d recommend, but all three really leave me still hoping I get a clear bombshell of a film before the end of the year.
If you’re perfectly fine with queer centric comedy, and want to know what independent Australian animation is like,this indie darling might be up your alley. it also is not for kids, though older kids already watching stuff like big Mouth, Rick and Morty, and Sausage Party will have seen anything this has to offer and might enjoy the representation if they too want to grow up to be a Lesbian Space princess and live in gay space.
Why You Might Like it: It is nothing if not unique. tired of sequels and remakes? This has originality on its side.
Why you Might Not Like it: As much as I enjoyed it, the lack of audio description is a bit of a bummer. However, every time you watch Lesbian Space Princess, it makes some people on the internet angry.
Final thoughts: Clever, satirical, and refreshingly original, this Aussie animated indie deserves to make waves. Big rainbow colored waves.
Final Grade: 7.9/10