Entertainment

‘Girls Will Be Girls’ to be screened under Cannes Ecrans Juniors

The film had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January.

Richa Chadha (R) and Ali Fazal (L) (Photo: WILLIAM WEST/AFP via Getty Images)

By: Mohnish Singh

Girls Will Be Girls, the debut production of actor couple Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal, will be screened under the Cannes Écrans Juniors at the 2024 edition of the Cannes Film Festival.

The sidebar section is a selection of eight international films that present a particular interest to young people above 13, introducing them to diverse themes, cultures, and cinematic art.

Directed by Shuchi Talati, Girls Will Be Girls will be screened at the film gala on May 22 and 23 at the Alexandre III Theatre, and on May 24 at the Raimu Hall, a press release stated.

According to the makers, the film is set in a boarding school in a small Himalayan hill town in northern India. It follows the journey of Mira, a 16-year-old girl, whose rebellious awakening is intertwined with her mother’s unfulfilled coming-of-age experiences.

It features Preeti Panagrahi, Kani Kusruti, Jitin Gulati, Preeti Panigrahi, and Kesav Binoy Kiron.

Girls Will Be Girls is an Indo-French co-production, a collaboration between Chadha and Fazal’s banner Pushing Buttons Studios, and Blink Digital, Crawling Angel Films, and Dolce Vita Films.

“Producing this film has been a labour of love, and to see it resonate with audiences globally is incredibly fulfilling. We believe in the power of stories that challenge and inspire, and Girls Will Be Girls does just that. It’s a film that speaks to the complexities of growing up, and we can’t wait for the Cannes audience to experience it,” Chadha said in a statement.

Fazal said the team knew from the very beginning that Girls Will Be Girls was a special project.

“Shuchi Talati has crafted a beautiful, poignant story that deserves this platform. We are proud to be part of a film that not only entertains but also sparks important conversations. This is just the beginning, and we are excited for what’s to come,” he added.

Girls Will Be Girls had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January where it picked up two awards — the Audience Award: World Cinema Dramatic, and the World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Acting for Panagrahi.

The movie was later screened at the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in Austin, Texas.

Other films that will be screened as part of Cannes Ecrans Juniors selection include — The Child Who Measured the World, Excursion, The Monk and the Gun, The Other Son, Valentina or the Serenity, Sweet As, and Young Hearts.