IN HER WORDS: 20TH CENTURY LESBIAN FICTION
Thursday, September 28, 2023 at 6:00 PM
FEATURE DOCUMENTARY | 100 MIN | English | USA
Directed by Lisa Marie Evans and Marianne K. Martin
Produced by Cheryl L. Pletcher

General Admission $10 | Student + Children $8

In 1928, readers fell into The Well of Loneliness — a groundbreaking lesbian novel, albeit a tragic one. By the late 1990s, lesbian fiction had climbed out of the well and into a diverse world of stories and storytellers who were publishing increasingly multifaceted stories (some of them even happy ones). Narrated by LGBTQ+ historian Lillian Faderman and illuminated through interviews with trailblazers like Jewelle Gomez (The Gilda Stories), Dorothy Allison (Bastard Out of Carolina), and Sarah Waters (Tipping the Velvet), In Her Words: 20th Century Lesbian Fiction charts a literary journey from post-war lesbian pulp to modern bestsellers. In Her Words: 20th Century Lesbian Fiction pays loving tribute to this evolution of lesbian and queer fiction, through a lens of broader American history. Bring a book to trade!

About the Directors

Lisa Marie Evans
Director/Editor/Animator

Lisa Marie Evans is a filmmaker and animator. Evans has participated in artist residencies and screened her work internationally, including venues in Hungary, France, the Philippines, and Canada. She has developed curricula and taught filmmaking to people of all ages, curated film festivals and events, and served on the board of multiple arts organizations.

Evans has mentored hundreds of multidisciplinary artists, including work with Artist INC, Mid- America Arts Alliance’s entrepreneurial program for artists. She is currently the Director of Creative Development with the Creative Arkansas Community Hub and Exchange (CACHE).
Evans co-produced Beyond Belief, a digital storytelling project through the Association of Independents in Radio and Kansas City PBS. She was the project manager, editor, and animator for OZCast, an online creative variety show featuring local, regional, and national artists. Evans directed, edited, and animated In Her Words: 20th Century Lesbian Fiction, the first film to win the Publishing Triangle’s Leadership Award. She is a 2021 recipient of the Arkansas Arts Council’s Fellowship Award in Cinematic Arts.

“Working on this film and interviewing these legacies of lesbian literature opened my eyes to a history that I did not know existed. In a world where lesbian-themed books and history are not openly part of the school curriculum, this film is a tool for education and empowerment. I hope others find themselves in this film and are encouraged to share their own stories to build upon our beautiful and rich history.” ~Lisa Marie Evans, Director, Editor, and Animator

Marianne K. Martin
Director/Writer

Marianne K. Martin is the award-winning author of twelve novels of lesbian fiction, including five Lambda Literary Award finalists. Among the accolades she has received are Independent Publisher (IPPY) Awards, Global Ebook Awards, eLit Award, International Book Award, USA Book News Best Book of the Year Award, Golden Crown Literary Society (GCLS) Goldie Award, the 2012 GCLS Trailblazer Award, and the Alice B. Foundation Award for outstanding body of work. In 2013, she was inducted into the Saints & Sinners Literary Hall of Fame, and in the same year she was selected as one of GO Magazine’s 100 Women We Love.

Marianne is a founding partner and co-owner of Bywater Books and Amble Press. She is a member of the GCLS Sandra Moran Writing Academy Scholarship Committee, and with co- creator Sandra Moran, developed the framework and vision for the documentary film, In Her Words: 20th Century Lesbian Fiction. The finished film, which she co-directed, won The Publishing Triangle’s 2020 Leadership Award.

“From the beginning they’ve tried to silence us, to make us invisible, to deny our right to be our true selves. Yet, writers have continued to bravely tell their stories, knowing the challenges they faced. It is my hope that this film shows the strength of their voices and their commitment to record our struggles, our dreams, and our victories. I hope that it helps to preserve our herstory in an ever- challenging environment.” ~ Marianne K. Martin, Director and Writer