“The Late in Life Guide to Modern Day Lesbianism” and Exclusive with Ashley Gianni
Written by Laura Sands. Photo by Laura Sands.
“The Late in Life Guide to Modern Day Lesbianism” is a truly unique short film written, executive produced, and brought to life by Ashley Gianni. This short film is a workplace training video parody, listing the “steps” and “rules” of being a lesbian. The truly magical thing about the nicknamed “Late in Life” is Gianni’s ability as a writer to bend comedy and truth seamlessly into one. As a queer person or ally, many of the references in the film, such as owning Subarus, crushing on female characters, or not being able to tell when a girl is a friend or more, are something to laugh at in understanding, rather than laugh at in jest. Hidden inside this quick-spoken satirical comedy, there are beautiful grains of truth that people coming out late in life, and queer people in general, need to hear. The film wraps up with the main character, played by Gianni, looking directly into the camera and reminding the audience that there is no right way to be a lesbian, and whatever your coming-out story is, it is valid.
As a queer filmmaker myself, I was blessed with the opportunity to sit down and interview Ashley Gianni about “The Late in Life Guide to Modern Day Lesbianism,” her production company, Pizza Bagel Pictures, her view on queer media, and more. Gianni has a Bachelor of Fine Arts in acting, but as she spoke, she dove into how her strength as a storyteller made it conflicting to get cast outside of college. She explained how most production companies didn’t know what to do with her. This setback became one of her biggest pushes forward, as she turned to writing and then producing, saying “If you don’t know what you’re going to do with me, I’m going to show you what to do with me.”
Eventually, this path led her to directing her first short film in 2024, “Sorority,” about a black trans woman finding her place within the community of a women’s bathroom. Hearing about this set from Gianni was inspiring as a filmmaker because it showed me what the industry could be. As we reflected on the film industry, Gianni revealed that 98% of the people working on “Sorority” were women, and most of them queer women. On top of that, zero cisgender, white men- from preproduction to post, from catering to financing- touched the set.
Gianni stressed that “This is so multifaceted. One, I want to work with my people. Two, it is so important to have people behind the camera that are representative of the story that we’re telling. I did not come into my identity until later in life because I didn’t have a lesbian in mainstream media that looked like me. That sounded like me, that acted like me. [That’s why] it’s so important to me to make sure that there is a diverse representation of our community in accessible storytelling, so that hopefully I can then impact someone else’s story.”
This led a set about sisterhood to become a set that was actually living a sisterhood. “Sorority” went on a festival run of 14 festivals, and won seven awards, which were all well deserved, but this success also reflects against the film industry beliefs. “We are in an industry and a world that tells us that one, there is not enough talent to fill the roles. Then two, there’s not an audience for our stories. And I believed I proved that wrong,” reflects Gianni.
Her new film, “Late in Life,” has just been introduced in Georgia at the SCAD Film Festival, which led me to think about what it is like bringing these authentically loud, campy, queer stories to a historically conservative state. Gianni talks about her upbringing in New Jersey, close to New York City, and although she holds such love for the queer urban setting, her films are needed even more in rural, conservative places.
Gianni says, “We exist everywhere, and who needs our storytelling more than our queer humans that are surrounded by this conservative pressure. The work has to be done here, so that people, our fellow LGBTQ humans, in the South, in these conservative environments, understand that they are not alone. That they are heard, seen, and loved.”
Gianni argues that storytellers are what is needed to create change, that we have a deeply transformational power. She recounts a story of her grandfather going to see “Torch Song Trilogy” on Broadway during the AIDs epidemic, and coming out of this showing with his views of homosexuality changed. She emphasizes that it was proof of the power of queer storytelling.
Throughout our conversation, Gianni shared so many tidbits of advice for filmmakers and queer people, both “late in lifers” and young people. Yet her final words of advice were words of perseverance: “At the end of the day, don’t let the powers that be bring you down […] No matter what avenue you go into, you are going to get met with so much rejection, especially as a queer woman. We are constantly in the battle, and it can be frustrating, but instead of allowing that to stop you, allow it to fuel you.”
“The Late in Life Guide to Modern Day Lesbianism” is currently not available for streaming as it continues its festival run; however, Gianni revealed that she is currently financing her first feature film. As a director, writer, producer, and actress with such power and a distinct voice, I can’t wait to see what she does next.
