BANDE DE FILLES (GIRLHOOD) (France 2104) ***

Directed by Céline Sciamma

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The English title GIRLHOOD is a softened alternative to the direct translation of the French title BANDE DE FILLES which means Girl Gang. GIRLHOOD is an extremely tough no-nonsense tale centering on 14-year old Marieme (Karidja Toure) as she comes of age while joining a group of free-spirited black teen girls led by Lady (Assa Sylla) in the Paris projects.

How tough is the film? There are two cat violent fights with one involving Marieme, drug trafficking, swearing, bullying and robbing. All these are displayed in a realistic setting, no holds barred, making director Sciamma’s (TOMBOY) film hard to watch.

Her uncompromising film forces the audience to see two different sides of the coin, thus allowing them to take their own view of Marieme - whether to pity her or dislike her. She is shown lying to mother, quitting school and abused by her violent older brother.  But she is protective of her younger sister, falls into her first romance and gains her independence for the first time.

Sciamma shows the dead ends faced by Marieme - a demanding family, dodgy neighbourhood, questionable friends and poverty. Marieme thus finds herself before long in dangerous waters, while she finds a way to assert a new-found empowerment, though not always in a good way.

The film’s cinematography stands out, as does the film’s hip-hop soundtrack. The film also has an occasional playful tone, especially in the scene when the girl gang uses their spoils of a robbery to rent a hotel room - partying and dancing to Rihanna’s “Diamonds in the Sky’.

GIRLHOOD is not an easy story to tell, nor is it an entertaining film in the normal sense. But it is one forgettable film with the universal theme about one unforgettable character trying like all human beings, to lead a better life for oneself.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AabCFCREVbQ

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