‘Lesbian Space Princess’: A Bold New Chapter for Australian Animation

Directed by Emma Hough Hobbs and Leela Varghese, Lesbian Space Princess is making history as the first animated feature of its kind in South Australia. This sci-fi comedy is packed with vibrant visuals, catchy musical numbers, and humor designed for an adult audience.

The story follows Princess Saira, a shy royal from the planet Clitopolis, who embarks on a wild space adventure to rescue her ex-girlfriend from the clutches of the Straight White Maliens—a group voiced by the popular Australian comedy trio Auntie Donna.

Hough Hobbs, who also served as the film’s lead animator, spoke about how significant this achievement is for Australian animation.

“There aren’t many Australian animated features, especially in South Australia. Ours is the first to be made [in Adelaide], and it’s a significant milestone for us.”

Varghese echoed this sentiment, explaining that they wanted to create something fresh. “We felt like we hadn’t seen a movie like ours being made. Adult animation comedy doesn’t get made in this space a lot. We were excited to bring something new to the Australian animated feature film space.”

The duo carefully divided their responsibilities—Hough Hobbs led the animation team while Varghese focused on editing. “Emma was my portal because she understands animation. She was also the head animator of the film. I embraced the power she brought to the film and worked closely with her,” said Varghese.

With a small team of just two full-time animators and two part-time background artists, the film took about 50 weeks to complete. Working within a limited budget, they got creative with their approach. Storyboarding was done in Photoshop, while the animation was crafted using Toon Boom Harmony.

Varghese explained how they turned their constraints into strengths. “We leaned into knowing the limitations of what we could do in terms of animation scale, and we actually found that really fun.”

The film’s backgrounds were made through a unique process—first modeled in Maya, then captured with a digital camera before being drawn in Photoshop. This ensured precise perspective in every scene.

With its mix of humor, creativity, and representation, Lesbian Space Princess is a groundbreaking achievement for South Australian animation. It not only sets a new standard but also paves the way for future independent animated projects in the region.

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