Allison Wall

My quests to (1) find authentic sapphic/lesbian things to watch and (2) become a constantly less mainstream, weirder, more specific version of myself converged in the delightful indie film Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same (2011, available on Fandango, free with ads).

If the title isn’t enough to lure you in (it certainly hooked me), then please read on.

Clocking in at about 1 hour and 15 minutes, Codependent Lesbian Space Alien Seeks Same (written and directed by Madeleine Olnek) is a delightful juxtaposition of Annie Hall-esque understated humor (complete with therapy scene; may Woody Allen rot in hell) and a parody of the crunchy aesthetics of 1950s pulp sci-fi. In the film, an alien planet is experiencing a dangerous thinning of the ozone layer, which is being exacerbated by big emotions, notably, love. Inhabitants with such big emotions are to be rounded up and sent to Earth, where they will have their hearts broken and then return subdued, depressed, and no longer a threat to the planet.

Meanwhile, Jane (Lisa Haas), an introverted and sweet earthling butch who lives in NYC, struggles to put herself out there. She is approached by Zoinx (Susan Ziegler), one such exiled alien with big feelings, and they hit it off.

In a third story thread, two FBI agents talk to pass the time on a stakeout assignment. Their conversations (and the film’s commentary) range widely, but are sharpest when discussing queerness, lesbians, and heterosexual culture.

I also could read in a fair amount of Autistic commentary, specifically on dating and socializing. I’m not sure this is intentional, and it doesn’t really ever surface as a theme in the film, so big grain of salt here.

The aliens are not un-Autistic in their speech (monotone), movements (uncoordinated; on the stiff side), and understanding (often taking the literal meaning for comedic effect). The ones we see on screen are also the ones with emotions so intense, they’re destroying their home planet—this also rings true to my Autistic experience of emotions. These choices were perhaps meant to show them as different from earthlings. But at one point, Jane, the human girlfriend, acknowledges she’s never really felt belonging on Earth either. This could be referring to lesbians being unwelcome in heteronormative society, but Jane also seems socially shy and awkward on top of being queer, and other earthling lesbians are depicted throughout who don’t seem to share Jane’s struggles.

So might be worth a watch through an Autistic lens, too!

This movie is truly a gem, and I’m glad to report that it was well received at Sundance and garnered many positive reviews in mainstream publications.