Why Every Lesbian Needs to Watch The Summer of Sangaile (2015)

The Summer of Sangaile (2015): The Lesbian Film That Still Makes My Heart Race

Let me be real with you: I’ve watched hundreds of queer films, and very few of them actually feel like they were made for us – for lesbians. Most “lesbian” movies are either tragic, over-sexualized for the male gaze, or so subtle you need a magnifying glass to spot the gay. Then there’s The Summer of Sangaile (original title: Sangailės vasara), a little Lithuanian gem from 2015 that slipped under almost everyone’s radar… and honestly, it’s criminal.

This movie is pure sunlight, first kisses, and that stomach-drop feeling when you realize you’re falling hard for a girl. It’s the lesbian teenage summer romance we all deserved but never got on the big screen until director Alantė Kavaitė blessed us.

The story follows Sangaile (played by the ridiculously gorgeous Julija Steponaitytė), a quiet 17-year-old who dreams of being an aerobatic pilot but is paralyzed by crippling vertigo and self-doubt. She spends her summer days watching air shows, wearing oversized sunglasses, looking like the brooding lesbian crush we all had in high school. Then enters Austė (Aistė Diržiūtė) – confident, artsy, glitter-eyed, and very openly into girls. The chemistry? Electric from the very first scene.

What makes this film different from every other coming-out story is how unapologetically lesbian it feels without ever saying the word “lesbian” out loud. There’s no big dramatic “I think I like girls” speech. There’s no homophobia plot device. There’s just two teenage girls in a small Lithuanian town who see each other, want each other, and slowly let themselves have each other. It’s soft, it’s slow, it’s aching, and it’s so real I had to pause the movie multiple times because my heart couldn’t take it.

The cinematography deserves its own paragraph. Every frame looks like a Polaroid you’d tape inside your journal. Golden fields, sparkling lakes, lazy summer heat, secret rooftop nights – it’s the aesthetic Tumblr sapphics in 2015 would’ve died for (and we did). The way Austė photographs Sangaile, the way they look at each other when no one else is watching… girl, I felt that in my soul.

And the intimacy scenes? Tasteful, beautiful, and actually sexy – not in a “let’s throw this in for shock value” way, but in a “this is what it feels like when two girls are crazy about each other” way. No male director could’ve shot those scenes like this. You can feel a woman’s gaze behind the camera, and it makes all the difference.

Sangaile herself is such a mood. She’s closed-off, scared of heights (literal and emotional), and carries that quiet intensity so many of us recognize – the kind of girl who pushes you away because she wants you too much. Austė is her perfect counter: bold, creative, unafraid to say “I like you” first. Their dynamic is everything. It’s not about one “teaching” the other how to be gay; it’s about two girls helping each other grow up and grow into themselves.

Yes, the pacing is slow. Yes, it’s subtitled. Yes, almost nothing “happens” in the traditional plot sense. But that’s the point. This isn’t a movie about drama – it’s about feeling. About that one summer that changes everything. About the first girl who makes you believe you can fly, even when you’re terrified of falling.

Ten years later, The Summer of Sangaile still sits untouched at the top of my favorite lesbian films list, right next to But I’m a Cheerleader and Portrait of a Lady on Fire. If you’ve never seen it, clear your evening, grab some wine or iced coffee, and let yourself fall in love with these two girls all over again.

Because some movies aren’t just movies. Some movies are the summer you never had… but desperately needed.

Where to watch: It’s on Netflix in some regions, sometimes pops up on Mubi, or you can usually find it on… let’s say “alternative streaming sites” with a quick Google. Trust me, it’s worth hunting down.

Have you seen The Summer of Sangaile? Who’s your favorite character – moody pilot girl Sangaile or glitter queen Austė? Drop your thoughts in the comments, I read every single one