Girlhood (2015)

Such a frustrating disappointment

hyped garbage

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

Growing up on an estate, young Marieme finds herself leaving education, isolated within her own community, and stressed by those many forces on her. When she gets a new group of friends, she finds herself drawn into this new group of girls, changing her lifestyle as a result.Perhaps overpraised when it was released, I was pretty impressed by this film once I got to see it. It is an odd mix and one that is defined by the music and visual heavy opening; this is an approach that the film frequently takes – which is to have fun and stylish moments amid the crime, violence, and sense of oppression that exists otherwise. In some ways one could accuse the film of glamorizing this world, however what it is actually doing is presenting it in a natural and convincing way. By letting us in on the fun and comradery of Marieme's group, the film shows us why she is drawn into it, and the contrast between what she has otherwise. This is not the film saying that the gang is a better option, or a healthy one, but it does help us understand what is going on with the characters.These moments of style and fun also prop up the feeling of the estates as a real place. The pressure on the women in the film is tangible, and the nature of the world is played out well. It is a gritty and quite raw picture and one that works. In the lead Touré does well with the journey from child, to girl, to violence, and into a place that is really none of them but is informed by a wisdom that she hard earns. She is well supported by the rest of the cast – with Sylla being one standout. As a whole the film is well balanced and delivers a natural and engaging coming of age story.

In 2014, two films with similar titles were released: "Boyhood" and "Girlhood". But they were very different. The first was an American movie, shot over 12 years, with an all- white cast. The second was a French work with a narrative of a few months and a cast almost wholly black. "Girlhood" - which was called "Bande De Filles" in the original French - tells the story of 16 year old Marieme (a remarkable showing by young Karidja Touré) who joins a gang of three other girls in an effort to find some status, only to discover that this is not the life she seeks. Like "Boyhood", there is no real resolution but simply a coming of age. Céline Sciamma - herself white - both wrote and directed this original view of what it means to be young, uneducated and black in France.

French screenwriter and director Céline Sciamma's third feature film which she wrote, is vocally communicated by non-actors. It premiered in the Directors' Fortnight section at the 67th Cannes International Film Festival in 2014, was screened in the Contemporary World Cinema section at the 39th Toronto International Film Festival in 2014, was shot on locations in France and is a French production which was produced by producer Bénédicte Couvreur. It tells the story about a group of adolescent girls who lives in the suburbs of Paris, France.Distinctly and precisely directed by French filmmaker Céline Sciamma, this quietly paced fictional tale which is narrated mostly from the main character's point of view, draws a distinguishably perspicacious portrayal of a sixteen-year-old sister whom is searching for an education. While notable for its atmospheric milieu depictions and distinct cinematography by cinematographer Crystel Fournier, this character-driven and narrative-driven story about French youth and ingenious female empowerment which is characterized by the signature of a professional filmmaker, depicts a perceptibly present study of character and contains a great and timely score by composer Jean-Babtiste Laubier.This authoritatively authentic fictionalization of real life which is set in France in the 21st century and where a human being is introduced to a ten letter word starting with the character f, is impelled and reinforced by its cogent narrative structure, substantial character development, rhythmic continuity, acutely realized frames and the reverent acting performances by Karidja Touré and Assa Sylla. A cinematically surpassing narrative feature which gained, among other awards, the Bronze Horse for Best Film at the 25th Stockholm International Film Festival in 2014.

I really enjoyed this movie. 9/10 I will cut off a foreign film but I was intrigued so I turned on the subtitles and stuck it out until the end. However, I think I could have followed the film without the subtitles at a certain point. When I read, gang in the description, I thought it'd be a very rough film but the friendship that was formed between the girls were beautiful. The decisions that were made by the characters were understandable due to their lives and circumstances. Though I may not agree with decisions I can understand them which isn't always the case sometimes. It didn't lose me until the last act. I don't feel like it was as tight, put together and well written as it was in the beginning. I understood, she'd rather live the life uncertainty than go back home but I just didn't have closure, I felt like all of the characters' fates were just as uncertain as I was, especially the main characters. I just felt left hanging and I wanted to know what happened to her.