27TH AUGUST 2024
LIST OF FILMS ABOUT COMING-OF-AGE GIRLS (WHEN YOU STRUGGLE JUST NOT WITH JUST BOYS)
JANET PLANET (2023) DIR. BY ANNIE BAKER
A DIRECTORIAL DEBUT OF A PULITZER PRIZE WINNER THAT STUDIES A COMPLEX MOTHER-DAUGHTER RELATIONSHIP. AS DESCRIBED BY A24 (ITS PRODCUTION COMPANY): “THE INEFFABILITY OF A DAUGHTER FALLING OUT OF LOVE WITH HER MOTHER”.
VALERIE AND HER WEEK OF WONDERS (1971) DIR. BY JAROMIL JIREŠ
THIS FANTASY HORROR IS PROBABLY BEST KNOWN FOR ITS CO–SCRIPWRITER–CUM–PRODUCTION–DESIGNER, ESTER KRUMBACHOVÁ, AND IT IS DIRECTED BY ONE OF THE MASTERS OF THE CZECH NEW WAVE. THE STORY FOLLOWS VALERIE ON HER JOURNEY LEARNING MORE ABOUT A LOCAL CONVENT IN THE TOWN THAT SHE LIVES WITH HER GRANDMOTHER WHILE HAVING STRANGE VISIONS.
THIS FANTASY HORROR IS PROBABLY BEST KNOWN FOR ITS CO–SCRIPWRITER–CUM–PRODUCTION–DESIGNER, ESTER KRUMBACHOVÁ, AND IT IS DIRECTED BY ONE OF THE MASTERS OF THE CZECH NEW WAVE. THE STORY FOLLOWS VALERIE ON HER JOURNEY LEARNING MORE ABOUT A LOCAL CONVENT IN THE TOWN THAT SHE LIVES WITH HER GRANDMOTHER WHILE HAVING STRANGE VISIONS.
THE FITS (2015) DIR. BY ANNA ROSE HOLMER
TONI IS 11 AND SHE GOES TO A BOXING CLUB. WHEN ONE DAY SHE NOTICES A GIRL GROUP’S DANCE PRACTICE. TONI JOINS THE AUDITIONS AND TRIES TO FIT IN WITH HER NEW TEAMMATES. ALSO A DIRECTORIAL DEBUT OF A.R.H., WHO CO-DIRECTED GOD’S CREATURES (2022).
THE WONDERS (2014) DIR. BY ALICE ROHRWACHER
A FAMILY DRAMA THAT CENTERS AROUND LIVES OF ITALIAN TEENAGE GIRLS WHO LIVE AND WORK ON THEIR PARENTS’ FARM THAT GETS FULFILED WITH HOPE WHEN A PRODUCER FROM A TV SHOW APPRAOCHES THEIR AREA TO PARTICIPATE IN A TV COMPETITION. (SPOILER! HOSTED BY MONICA BELUCCI).
LA BOUM (1980) DIR. BY CLAUDE PINOTEAU
A DEBUT APPEARANCE OF SOPHIE MARCEAU, THIS FILM BECAME AN INSTANT HIT FOLLOWED BY A PART TWO. SOHIE MARCEAU IS VIC, A PARISAIN TEENAGER WHO JUST JOINED A NEW HIGH SCHOOL AND FINDING IT TRICKY TO FIT IN, ALONGSIDE DEALING WITH SOME FAMILY DRAMA.
LOL (2008) DIR. BY LISA AZUELOS
STRAIGHT AFTER LA BOUM (1980), I HAD TO LIST THE LEGENDARY LOL (2008), A NOUGHTIES VERSION OF IT WITH SOPHIE MARCEAU IN A SUPPORTING ROLE NOW. THE STORY FOLLOWS A PARISIAN TEENAGER LOLA NAVIGATING HER LIFE AND RELATIONSHIPS IN IT.
POLITE SOCIETY (2023) DIR. BY NIDA MANZOOR
A BRITISH SOUTH ASIAN BLOCKBUSTER, A MARTIAL ART COMEDY ABOUT SISTERHOOD AND HOW THEY CAN HELP EACH OTHER IN THE MOMENTS OF A LIFE CRISIS. (DEBUT FEATURE, AGAIN).
NAME ME (2014) DIR. BY NIGINA SAIFULLAEVA
ANOTHER DEBUT FEATURE, THIS COMING-OF-AGE DRAMA IS ABOUT TWO GIRLFRIENDS THAT TRAVEL TO CRIMEA FOR THEIR SUMMER SCHOOL BREAK FROM MOSCOW TO MEET AN ESTRANGED DAD OF ONE OF THEM. THE GIRLS FEEL NERVIOUS SO THEY SWAP THE NAMES, WHICH LEADS THEM ON THEIR SEPARATE JOURNEYS DISCOVERING WHAT THEY REALLY WANT.
EVERYBODY DIES BUT ME (2008) DIR. BY VALERIA GAI GERMANIKA
AND WE ARE MOVING ONTO ANOTHER DIRECTORIAL DEBUT AND HIGHLY ACCLAIMED FILM BY CRITICS THAT FOLLOWS THE LIVES OF RUSSIAN SCHOOLGIRLS NAVIGATING THEIR SMALL TOWN WITH ITS STRICT RULES AND LIMITATIONS.
THE BABY-SITTERS CLUB (1995) DIR. BY MELANIE MAYRON
BASED-ON A BOOK SERIES, THIS STORY IS ABOUT SEVEN GIRLS THAT ORGANISE A BABYSITTING CAMP TO GET SOME POCKET MONEY, WHILE EACH GIRL HAS HER OWN REASON TO FIND AN ESCAPE IN THIS.
MUSTANG (2015) DIR. BY DENIZ GAMZE ERGÜVEN
THE LAST DIRECTORIAL DEBUT ON THIS LIST (I PROMISE). THIS DRAMA CATCHES ORPHANED SISTERS IN A RURAL TURKISH VILLAGE DEALING WITH OPPRESSION AND THE CHALLANGES OVER A TEENAGE LIFE.
Yours,
5TO9 FC TEAM