10 Shows & Movies Like Tipping the Velvet

Description: A pioneering lesbian romance set in the 1950s, featuring a slow-burn love story that defies societal norms, with a focus on emotional authenticity and personal freedom.

Fact: One of the first mainstream films to portray a lesbian relationship in a positive light. It was shot on a modest budget but became a cult classic.

Description: A visually sumptuous and thematically rich film that challenges gender norms and explores identity across centuries, with a dreamlike, poetic narrative style.

Fact: Adapted from Virginia Woolf's novel, the film features Tilda Swinton in a career-defining role as the androgynous Orlando. The production used many real historical locations.

Description: A deeply emotional and layered drama intertwining the lives of women across different time periods, exploring themes of love, repression, and self-discovery.

Fact: The film is based on Michael Cunningham's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, which itself is inspired by Virginia Woolf's 'Mrs. Dalloway.'

Description: A groundbreaking series exploring the lives and relationships of LGBTQ+ women, blending drama, romance, and personal struggles with a modern, intimate storytelling style.

Fact: One of the first TV shows to focus primarily on lesbian and bisexual women. The show's title is a playful nod to the way 'lesbian' was often avoided in mainstream media.

Description: A lush, emotionally charged romance set in the 1950s, depicting a forbidden love affair with exquisite attention to period detail and nuanced character dynamics.

Fact: Based on Patricia Highsmith's novel 'The Price of Salt,' which was groundbreaking for its positive portrayal of a lesbian relationship at the time of publication.

Description: A visually stunning, erotically charged thriller with a complex narrative structure, exploring themes of deception, desire, and liberation in a historical setting.

Fact: Directed by Park Chan-wook, the film is a loose adaptation of Sarah Waters' novel 'Fingersmith,' transposed to 1930s Korea under Japanese occupation.

Description: A darkly comedic historical drama with lavish production design, exploring power dynamics and queer relationships in a royal court through sharp, unconventional storytelling.

Fact: The film plays fast and loose with historical accuracy for dramatic effect, particularly in its portrayal of Queen Anne's relationships. It features an unusual number of duck racing scenes.

Description: A historical drama centered around a bold, unconventional woman navigating love and societal expectations in 19th-century England, with a strong emphasis on LGBTQ+ relationships.

Fact: Inspired by the real-life diaries of Anne Lister, a landowner and industrialist known as 'the first modern lesbian.' The series was filmed at Shibden Hall, Lister's actual home.

Description: A quiet, atmospheric period drama about an unexpected romantic connection between two women, featuring restrained yet powerful emotional storytelling and meticulous historical detail.

Fact: Loosely inspired by the life of paleontologist Mary Anning. The film's intimate scenes sparked discussions about the portrayal of queer relationships in historical contexts.

Description: A period drama with a strong focus on forbidden love and deception, featuring intricate storytelling and a Victorian setting that explores themes of identity and societal constraints.

Fact: Based on Sarah Waters' novel, the same author who wrote the source material for the referenced title. The plot includes a shocking twist that redefines the characters' relationships.