The Holiday Club

This independent romantic comedy, written and directed by Alexandra Swarens, who also acts in it, follows two women meeting on every public holiday across a year. Sam does not like holidays, Bailey does. They meet on an evening when both are alone on Valentine's Day, and grow closer with each holiday that follows. The structure is simple and works in the film's favour: one holiday per chapter, one development per holiday. It is an economical way of showing how a relationship forms, with no need to narrate the time in between. Mak Shealy and Swarens carry it together. The budget is low and it shows on screen. But the point is to open the light, easy, frictionless romance the genre usually reserves for straight couples to two women, and the film does that without embarrassment. Who it's for: viewers looking for a light queer romantic comedy. Who it's not for: viewers expecting high production value and a surprising script; the film applies the genre formula knowingly and leaves it intact.