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Writer Isabel Cristo describes the essence of girlhood as a “before time,” untouched by the weighty choices of adulthood — marriage, careers, caretaking. Though often disrupted by reality, girlhood remains a space of unfiltered potential, free from feminism’s historical burdens. Cinema has long confined it to familiar narratives, typically shaped by a girl’s longing for male validation. This series seeks to redefine coming-of-age narratives about girlhood by showcasing films made mostly by women filmmakers from across the globe whose work challenges conventions and is united in their shared focus on a girl’s desire to know and express herself. By foregrounding a protagonist’s self-discovery and agency, these narratives insist that a girl’s psyche — no matter how wounded or raw — is worth exploring. Infused with rare, aching empathy, they illuminate feminine characters whose multi-dimensional stories have too often been absent from cinema. Through them, girlhood emerges as complex, vibrant and inherently cinematic.
Series programmed and notes written by Public Programmer Beandrea July.
