Femme Fatale — Laure and Lily

Femme Fatale (2002), directed by Brian De Palma, kicks off with one of the boldest sapphic moments in early 2000s cinema.

During a heist at the Cannes Film Festival, Laure (Rebecca Romijn) seduces Lily (Rie Rasmussen) in a bathroom stall — right in the middle of a high-stakes jewel robbery. The sapphic tension is off the charts, and it’s all part of an elaborate setup to steal a set of diamond jewelry — worn by a model in a very risqué outfit.

It’s brief, it’s intense, and then Laure vanishes with the diamonds, leaving Lily behind.

The film never revisits their dynamic, but that brief encounter leaves a lasting impression.

It’s one of the most unforgettable queer-coded openings of the era. De Palma was clearly going for a stylized, noir-inspired vibe with femme-on-femme intrigue — and he absolutely nailed it. 💎🔥💔