Old Lesbians is a documentary short about queer elders preserving their own herstory, specifically the Old Lesbian Oral Herstory Project (OLOHP). OLOHP was started over 25 years ago by Arden Eversmeyer, a retired public school teacher in Houston, Texas. Arden believed that many lesbians would die before speaking their truth due to the risks of expulsion from school, termination from work, loss of parental custody, and social ostracization. She set out to record the first 500+ interviews herself with self-identified lesbians over age 70, crisscrossing the country with two small audio recorders in her camper van. Only about half of all OLOHP interviewees are still alive today. Arden passed away in 2022 at the age of 91, leaving behind an immeasurable legacy in the lives she touched and the stories she carefully preserved. The documentary explores the love and care baked into each herstory, from research about how to prepare for an oral history to meticulous documentation of names, dates, and locations at the beginning of each recording. The film was made possible by Aesthetica and Audible’s 2023 Listening Pitch.
Directed & Edited by
Cinematography
Cinematography & Creative Director
Art Director & Animation
Producer
Animation
Sound Design & Foley
Production Counsel
Research Assistants
Cassidy Duncan
Helena Ravix
Sheridan Cole
Digital Intermediate Services provided by
Colorist
DI Coordinator
John Daniels-Riveros