By Valerie Milano
Hollywood, CA (The Hollywood Times) 9/27/25 – At this year’s Hollywood Park Film Festival, one of the standout shorts is Girlfriend Girlfriend, a dazzling, camp-infused film by writer and director Sarah Werner. Screening on Saturday, October 11, 2025, at 1:15 PM at Cinepolis (Theater 8) as part of Shorts Program 4: OFF SCRIPT, the film reclaims a familiar, often awkward question in queer life and spins it into a bold celebration of love, identity, and empowerment.
The idea for the film traces back to an offhand remark Werner’s partner encountered while working a summer job in Cape May, New Jersey. When she mentioned she was there with her girlfriend, a coworker pressed: “Girlfriend… or girlfriend-girlfriend?” Werner instantly recognized the weight of that moment.
“It always bothered me that the word ‘girlfriend’ needed clarification,” she told me during a recent interview. “My guy friends don’t have to explain their friendships, so why should we?” That frustration became the heartbeat of Girlfriend Girlfriend, a title that insists on queer love as fact, not a question.
Originally envisioned as a drama, the film evolved into a vibrant comedy that mirrors Werner’s commitment to joy as defiance. “They want to see us afraid, cowering,” she said. “Instead, we’re louder, prouder, and smiling through it.”
That ethos shows up in every frame. Werner and cinematographer Robert Bennett leaned into hyper-saturated reds, pinks, and golds, crafting a filmic yet surreal aesthetic. Spray-painted scissors become crowns, a goddess figure offers guidance, and camp symbolism transforms the scars of homophobia into emblems of power.
Shot over the course of a year, the project epitomized DIY filmmaking. Werner self-financed with bartending wages, called in favors for locations, and relied on a close-knit crew. Santa Monica’s Library Alehouse even lent its bar for two hours before opening.
Anchoring the story is Bry Gallagher, Werner’s wife, who portrays the server at the heart of the awkward exchange. “She had to relive some trauma to play it honestly,” Werner admitted, noting the care and communication that made the process possible. Joining Gallagher are Linda, her frequent stage partner whose comedic timing shines, and Delia, who embodies the film’s goddess figure.
Girlfriend Girlfriend doesn’t just reclaim a word; it reframes an entire experience. What begins as hesitation explodes into something cosmic—what Werner affectionately calls “the sapphic version of the Big Bang.”
The film’s success has already sparked momentum for a follow-up. Werner revealed that her next project, Wife Wife, will be inspired by her own wedding day with Gallagher. “Reclaiming these real-life interactions through film is forever,” she said with a grin. “Even if you didn’t have the perfect comeback at the time, now you can.”
As Girlfriend Girlfriend takes its place in Shorts Program 4: OFF SCRIPT, Werner hopes audiences leave both laughing and empowered. “Supporting queer filmmakers and watching our stories matters,” she emphasized. “This film is for everyone who’s ever had to explain their love. Now, it’s simply Girlfriend, Girlfriend.”
Catch Girlfriend Girlfriend at the Hollywood Park Film Festival on Saturday, October 11, 2025, at 1:15 PM, a screening not to be missed.
