One of our festival favs, the gritty French female coming-of-age drama, Girlhood, has been picked up for distribution by Strand Releasing.
Writer/director Céline Sciamma’s story focuses on a group of black high school students living in the tough banlieues of Paris, grounded by an incendiary performance from newcomer Karidja Touré.
Fed up with her abusive family situation, lack of school prospects and the “boys’ law” in the neighborhood, Shy Marieme (Touré) starts a new life after falling in with a group of three free-spirited girls (Assa Sylla, Lindsay Karamoh, Mariétou Touré). She changes her name, her style, drops out of school and starts stealing to be accepted into the gang. When her home situation becomes unbearable, Marieme seeks solace in an older man who promises her money and protection. Realizing this sort of lifestyle will never result in the freedom and independence she truly desires, she finally decides to take matters into her own hands
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Also known as Bande de filles, Girlhood had its North American premiere at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival and will also be shown at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. The film will hits theaters on January 30, 2015.
Check out the trailer below.