Synopsis

Maggie, a young lesbian working at a bookstore on Vancouver's Commercial Drive, begins a romance with Kim just as her recently divorced mother arrives unexpectedly with Maggie's younger brother. Forced to hide her sexuality and relationship, Maggie struggles to balance family pressure, first love, and the lively queer community surrounding her.

Factoids & Trivia

• The title comes from Sarah McLachlan's song "Ice Cream," which includes the lyric "your love is better than chocolate."

• The film was shot in and around Vancouver's Commercial Drive, an area known for its diverse and politically active community. The bookstore featured in the story was filmed at Ten Percent Books on Victoria Drive.

• The filmmakers used a focus group of twelve young lesbian women to help shape the screenplay and its representation of queer life.

• The film received audience awards at the Berlin, London, and Toronto lesbian and gay film festivals.

• Its international release attracted additional attention when the poster, depicting two women embracing naked, was banned in Hong Kong as indecent.

• The film was also known as "Maggie & Lila."

• With its openly positive depiction of lesbian romance, bisexuality, and a transgender character, the film became a notable example of accessible queer Canadian cinema from the late 1990s.