Lesbian icon Mariel Hemingway and lesbian actor Jill Bennett are co-starring in an action adenture film debuting April 18th on queer television network Here TV, and in limited theatrical release later this month.

In the film, the U.S. vice president's plane crashes on a remote island controlled by anti-American guerillas. Among the survivors are his secret service agent Lynn Delaney (Hemingway) and press secretary Sharon Serano (Bennett)—both of whom happen to be lesbians.

When Vice President Walker (David Keith) is kidnapped by the rebel forces and held for ransom, it's up to Agent Delaney to infiltrate the enemy camp, save the V.P., and ensure her group's safety as they await uncertain rescue.

The actors performed most of their own stunts for the film, including a scene Bennett describes as “a choreographed underwater knife fight scene where we're handcuffed together.”

Although In Her Line of Fire is a not a love story, much of the tension between Bennett's and Hemingway's characters is sexual, putting them in each other's line of fire and making for some spicy interactions.

The actors share two screen kisses, both of which have been edited out of an alternate version of the film that was produced for worldwide distribution. Some at gay film festival panel discussions have criticized film concessions like these, but Bennett points out that producing a kiss-free edition enables Here to make the film available to a wider audience—particularly to viewers in more conservative countries, where the company otherwise might not be able to sell the film at all.

“And the truth is, the more money they can make, the more money they have to funnel into the gay network,” she adds. She also says that the flirtatious comments, double entendres and other cues lesbian viewers are likely to pick up on remain intact in both versions.

That two of the lead characters are lesbians is not a central feature of the film's storyline, but is matter-of-factly woven into the film. “It's just who she is,” says Hemingway about her character, adding that “there are certainly some subtle and not-subtle references.”

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