‘Upon Her Lips’, the lesbian shorts series from NQV Media continues this week with the release of the latest instalment, ‘Upon Her Lips: Kiss Me’. Featuring five short films from up-and-coming directors from around the globe, this new release travels from Budapest to France and Poland, and explores the Mediterranean with stops in Israel and Cyprus. All of the shorts explore the theme of women in love, who are trying to balance their desires and dreams.
‘How to Say Goodbye’ from filmmaker Thibaut Buccellato opens the collection with a glimpse at two women who have ended their relationship. Following their break-up the two women meet in one of their apartments, and the short captures the awkwardness of two people navigating a significant change in their relationship. Two women who were once so close, now tip-toe around one another as they say their final goodbyes and move on with their lives. Anyone who has been through a breakup will be able to relate to just how hard and awkward this is, and director Buccellato captures that perfectly.
In Shani Cohen’s ‘Different Shores’, we head to Israel – more specifically the Dead Sea – for a snapshot of a mother and daughter whose relationship is put to the test. Familial relationships are rarely straightforward and that’s the focus of this short. In the idyllic setting of the Dead Sea the mother and daughter find their relationship turning complex when a secret is revealed. Discussing your sexuality with a parent is never easy, in large part because so few of us ever know how it’s going to be received, and the story that plays out here feels incredibly realistic.
Loukia Hadjiyianni uses the gorgeous backdrop of Cyprus for her short ‘Half an Orange’, which introduces us to reclusive young writer Valeria (Melissanthi Zanga). She meets Antigone (Thekla Flouri) at a party and finds someone who is the complete opposite of her nature. Opposites attract is the order of the day here as the two women are pulled into each other’s orbit, and find they can’t stay away from one another. Sometimes all it takes in life is the unexpected to shake you out of your sheltered existence, and that’s exactly what happens to Valeria here.
Over to Poland next for ‘Comme des Cowboys’ from Julia Sadowska. Stable hand Julita (Karolina Rzepa) is surprised when her ex-girlfriend Stacy (Eliza Rycembel) returns from France to participate in a horse rising competition. Unresolved feelings don’t take too long to bubble to the surface and the two women are drawn to one another again. Tensions soon reappear and the two women circle back to why they are no longer together, especially when it becomes clear nothing much has changed. Julita struggles to establish and maintain relationships even though her feelings are driving her crazy. This short has a few tense moments, and it’s brimming with will-the-won’t-they tension.
This collection comes to a close with Elissa de Brito’s ‘Light Up’. Set in Budapest, it tells the story of a romance between a young Hungarian and a Brazilian who is able to stay in the country on a temporary basis. Their relationship is immediate and intense but when they take the time to step back, and get to know one another, they realise that they might not be as compatible as they thought due to their upbringing. The two women couldn’t be further apart, even though they are head-over-heels for one another. ‘Light Up’ is a cautionary tale in part, reinforcing the idea that sometimes love isn’t enough to make a relationship work and that sometimes there are some hurdles that cannot be overcome.
‘Upon Her Lips: Kiss Me’ is another solid collection in the franchise. There’s nothing here that really stands out but all of the films are well-made and worth a watch. Usually there’s one really fantastic short but the five shorts here are on par with one another. As always, it’s an interesting look at lesbian life through the eyes of women across the world, and if you’ve enjoyed the other releases in the series, you’ll like this one too.
Cast: Stella Baker, Elanore Pienta, Pazit Nunu, Tal Meir, Kinar Dar, Thekla Flouri, Melissanthi Zanga, Karolina Rzepa, Eliza Rycembel, Magdalena Walach, Natália Pais-Fornari, Zófia Tóth Directors: Thibaut Buccellato, Shani Cohen, Loukia Hadjiyianni, Julia Sadowska, Elissa de Brito Certificate: 16+ Duration: 83 mins Released by: NQV Media Release date: 4th May 2026 Buy ‘Upon Her Lips: Kiss Me’ now
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