Michelle Tea's novel Valencia the novel put the experiences of an entire generation of lesbians on paper through the lens of one hard-loving and hard-drinking dyke. Punk rockers, riot grrls, and simple, artsy freaks suddenly had a heroine to look up to and a mecca to head toward. This highly anticipated film adaptation of Valencia gives a whole new generation of fabulous, artsy, genderqueer folks an opportunity to reinterpret and reinvent the tales of this iconic novel one chapter at a time.

Valencia lives on the same edge as its characters, by taking an anthology structure; each chapter is told by a different director and cast, and each “Michelle” conveys a different element or feel of the story and the community. The “Michelles” come in every shape, race, style, and gender — and by the end of the film, the wide swath of performances come together showing how “Michelle” and the stories of Valencia itself represent a universal experience. From falling in love to bonding with your exes’ exes, the film captures a moment in time in San Francisco, while also capturing the universal experience of being young, heartbroken, and ecstatic, and discovering the magic of who you are — all at once.

In its 18 segments the film features a veritable who’s who of San Francisco icons like Lynn Breedlove, Annie Danger, Lil Miss Hot Mess, and writer Michelle Tea herself, directed by infamous queer filmmakers including Silas Howard, Cary Cronenwett, Joey Soloway, Courtney Trouble, and Cheryl Dunye.