LGBTQ Film History and Lesbian Representation Teresa and Isabel Press Photo Archive 1968

Lesbian Film "Teresa and Isabel

Photograph

Metzger, Radley, Teresa and Isabel, 1968, documenting lesbian representation in late 1960s European and American-influenced erotic cinema through adaptation of Thérèse et Isabelle by Violette Leduc. The material reflects LGBTQ cultural expression within film, illustrating same-sex relationships between women in a narrative centered on adolescence, memory, and desire, and offering insight into the emergence of more explicit lesbian themes in cinema during a period of shifting sexual norms. It supports research into queer film history, literary adaptation, and representations of female intimacy in mid-twentieth-century visual culture.

Archive of four original silver gelatin press photographs produced for the film’s release, each measuring approximately 8 x 10 inches, with printed captions and the film title beneath the images. The photographs depict scenes featuring Essy Persson and Anne Gaël in the roles of Teresa and Isabel, frequently shown in close physical proximity, embracing or engaged in intimate gestures that emphasize the central romantic relationship. The compositions highlight interior settings associated with the boarding school environment, reinforcing the narrative framework of recollection as the older Teresa revisits formative experiences. As promotional stills, the images present carefully selected moments intended to convey the film’s tone and thematic focus on emotional and physical intimacy between the two protagonists.

Four photographs. Released in 1968 and directed by Radley Metzger, the film belongs to a broader wave of European-influenced erotic cinema that expanded the boundaries of permissible sexual representation during the late 1960s. Its source text by Leduc, originally controversial for its depiction of adolescent same-sex desire, situates the film within a lineage of literary and cinematic works challenging prevailing norms around sexuality. Minor handling wear, prints clean and well-preserved; overall very good condition. A focused visual archive documenting lesbian representation in transitional-era cinema.

Item #19260

Price: $480.00