A landmark of queer cinema, Desert Hearts tells the story of a reserved professor who arrives in Reno for a divorce and finds unexpected passion in the arms of a free-spirited woman. Donna Deitch’s sun-drenched romance is a beautifully realized story of self-acceptance and desire, set against the sweeping landscapes of 1950s Nevada.

Desert Hearts (1985)

Director: Donna Deitch

Writer: Natalie Cooper (based on the novel Desert of the Heart by Jane Rule)

Running Time: 91 minutes