In 1979, a small community of Irish lesbians established a network of underground telephone helplines to provide a lifeline for people experiencing isolation, abuse and/or profound loneliness. After all, homosexuality faced intense social and legal hostility in a conservative Ireland.
The feature documentary Lesbian Lines, which was directed by Cara Holmes (Notes From Sheepland) will world premiere in the international competition lineup of Sheffield DocFest on Thursday, June 11, now brings an intimate portrait of these help- and life-lines to the big screen.
Audiences get to meet original helpline volunteers, watch actors bring to life this so far undocumented part of history through dramatized sequences and relive or discover archival material. The resulting cinematic mix is as moving as it is joyful. The phone volunteers logged every call, and Lesbian Lines even shows us these handwritten notes, along with old telephones.
With cinematography by Aidan Gault and editing by Colin Campbell and Holmes, Lesbian Lines tells a story of community, connection and the power of listening. Holmes actually started off in editing, saying: “When I’m not directing, I do edit feature documentaries.” And she tells THR: “I feel my role is very fluid as a filmmaker, so I like to not keep things too defined. I like the openness of being able to do a few different things.”
