Ahead of the Curve

Ahead of the Curve (2020) was directed by Jen Rainin and Rivkah Beth Medow.

Franco Stevens is a lesbian woman who had the courage to begin publishing an openly lesbian magazine in 1990.

Previously, lesbian publications were small and more-or-less under the radar. Stevens and her team put the word "lesbian" on the cover of the magazine. Either it would work, or it wouldn't. It worked.

The movie is full of detail about the struggles, the highs, and the lows of Curve magazine. It also shows us Franco's physical problems, which she meets with courage but also realism.

We saw this movie at Rochester's excellent ImageOut LGBTQ Film Festival. The film has a solid IMDb rating of 7.4. I thought it was even better than that, and rated it 9.

Ahead of the Curve is about a bold woman who started a wildly impactful lesbian magazine. The film includes wonderful 90s nostalgia and a thoughtful exploration of the future of lesbian visibility. I crave stories like this - women charting their own path and carving out space to make this world more inclusive!

This film is a pure celebration of life. Franco Stevens realised that there wasn't a publication proudly supporting the lives of lesbians across the US and she did something about it. In the face of constant setbacks, she knew that a community needed to be created across the country.

Some might say that a magazine can't change the world, but when you hear the personal testimony of readers in the film, you can see how much this publication meant to them. It was a powerful reminder of how hostile the environment was 30 years ago, and how far the LGBTQ+ community has come in terms of representation and acceptance.

Highly recommended for those in the LGBTQ+/queer community, but more importantly those who want to learn more about the history of the space, and the work that still needs to be done to create an equal world for all.

I love this film so much! We live in an unincorporated area in the So Cal high desert. I moved down from Oakland, my partner moved down from Valencia Street in SF. We love it here, but miss lesbian culture. Watching this film reminded me of how important it is to connect with others in our lesbian community. I especially loved learning the history of Curve Magazine, which was such important work at a critical time in LGBTQ history, giving visibility and voice to lesbians. The film is fast moving, rich with historical info, and is a great 'human interest' story for all audiences. Much love and many thanks to Franco Stevens for founding Curve Magazine, and gratitude to all who supported the magazine through the years. Thanks also to Jen, Rivkah and the whole film crew for producing this film and documenting this history.

Truly inspirational story of how one person can make a difference for an entire community and movement. Inspirational, poignant, and hopeful!