Girlhood

About

YEAR 2014

SECTION Spotlight

COUNTRY France

RUN TIME 112 min

LANGUAGE French

SUBTITLES Yes with English subtitles

Girlhood, which opened the Directors' Fortnight section at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival, is writer/director Céline Sciamma’s third feature film to deal with female adolescence and identity (her previous features, Water Lilies and Tomboy, played to much international success). We are thrilled to welcome her to the Sundance Film Festival.

Sixteen-year-old Marieme lives in a low-income suburb on the outskirts of Paris, a rigid, male-dominated neighborhood. Her poor performance in school leaves her with the options of either attending a vocational school or working as a cleaner in a hotel. One day, Marieme meets a trio of charismatic local girls who have swagger to burn. She quickly becomes integrated into their gang and begins to feel empowered—for better or worse—and finds a sense of freedom through her newfound style, attitude, and friends.

Shot with seductive verve, Girlhood tells a specific coming-of-age story of characters not normally represented onscreen. As Marieme, Karidja Touré is a true discovery. Her subtlety and vulnerability work to transform Marieme from an unsure girl to one finding her power as a self-possessed young woman with emerging independence. —K.Y.

COMPANY Strand Releasing

WEBSITE http://www.strandreleasing.com

EMAIL nathan@strandreleasing.com

PHONE 3108367500

Credits

Actor
Cinematographer
Director
Editor
Music
Producer
Production Designer
Screenwriter

Artist Bio

Céline Sciamma's first feature, Water Lilies, attracted attention at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival in the section Un Certain Regard and won the Louis Delluc Prize for a first film. It was followed in 2011 by Tomboy, which was selected for the Berlin Festival, and subsequently enjoyed a successful French and international run. Girlhood is her third film.