Met with huge controversy on release in 1968, its blatant portrayal of lesbian sexuality was met with one of the first X ratings in US cinema, which limited the release and turned it into a flop. It’s since achieved cult status, not only for the killer one-liners and brilliant performances but also for the rare footage of the Gateways Club, a real-life underground lesbian hang out in 1960s London. “Sister George” (Beryl Reid in arguably her best big screen role) is June, a boozy, ageing BBC radio soap actress who lives with her strangely childish middle-aged lover, Alice (Susannah York). Rumours abound that her soap character is to be killed and things get even worse when hard-nosed BBC producer Mrs. Croft (Coral Browne) takes an interest in Alice...

Very much of its time in its dark and dramatic vision of lesbianism, this is a much loved queer pulp classic, all the more for its outdated drama, and up there with Aldrich’s Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? in its portrayal of women on the edge.

Part of the Outburst Queer Arts Festival season. Outburst Queer Arts Festival runs from 8 - 17 November 2018.