Girls and Girlhood
What does it mean to be a girl? There may be an infinite number of answers to this question. This week, in celebration of the International Day of the Girl, we look at young female protagonists and the diverse experiences of girlhood that transcend time and geographical borders.
The Third Wife
In 19th-century rural Vietnam, 14-year-old May becomes the third wife of wealthy landowner.
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- Vietnam • 2019
- Director Ash Mayfair
- Cast Nguyễn Phương Trà My, Trần Nữ Yên Khê, Lê Vũ Long, Mai Thu Hường, Như Quỳnh
- Genre Drama
- Available on Apple TV, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Tubi TV, The Roku Channel, Kanopy, Hoopla, Plex, Plex Channel
Girl
A transgender 15-year-old girl dreams of becoming a ballerina.
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- Belgium, Netherlands • 2018
- Director Lukas Dhont
- Cast Victor Polster, Arieh Worthalter, Oliver Bodart, Tijmen Govaerts, Chris Thys, Nele Hardiman
- Genre Drama
- Available on Netflix, Netflix basic with Ads
I Am Not a Witch
An 8-year-old girl is convicted of witchcraft and brought to a penal colony where witches do hard labor.
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- United Kingdom, France, Germany • 2017
- Director Rungano Nyoni
- Cast Maggie Mulubwa, Henry B.J. Phiri, Gloria Huwiler, Nellie Munamonga, Dyna Mufuni
- Genre Drama
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, MUBI, MUBI Amazon Channel, AMC+ Amazon Channel, Metrograph, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Tubi TV, Pluto TV, Freevee, Kanopy, Hoopla, Plex, Plex Channel
The Breadwinner
An enchanting story of a brave young girl who puts her life at risk to provide for her family.
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- Ireland, Canada, Luxembourg • 2017
- Director Nora Twomey
- Cast Saara Chaudry, Soma Bhatia, Laara Sadiq, Shaista Latif, Ali Badshah, Noorin Gulamgaus
- Genre Animation, Drama, Family, War
- Available on Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube
Mustang
In a small Turkish village, five sisters struggle against the restrictions of their conservative family.
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- Turkey, France, Germany • 2015
- Director Deniz Gamze Ergüven
- Cast Güneş Nezihe Şensoy, Doğa Zeynep Doğuşlu, Elit İşcan, Tuğba Sunguroğlu, Ilayda Akdoğan, Nihal Koldaş
- Genre Drama
- Available on Fandor Amazon Channel, Cohen Media Amazon Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Amazon Video, Tubi TV, Cineverse, Kanopy
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night
A lonely vampire preys on the depraved residents of Bad City — but finds love in another tortured soul.
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- Iran, United States • 2014
- Director Ana Lily Amirpour
- Cast Sheila Vand, Arash Marandi, Marshall Manesh, Mozhan Marnò, Dominic Rains, Rome Shadanloo
- Genre Horror, Romance, Western
- Available on Kino Film Collection, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Kanopy
Girlhood
(Bande de filles)
A girl with few real prospects joins a gang, reinventing herself and gaining a sense of self confidence in the process.
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- France • 2014
- Director Céline Sciamma
- Cast Karidja Touré, Assa Sylla, Lindsay Karamoh, Mariétou Touré, Idrissa Diabaté, Rabah Nait Oufella
- Genre Drama
- Available on Criterion Channel, Strand Releasing Amazon Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, YouTube, Kanopy, Hoopla
Blue Is the Warmest Color
(La Vie d'Adèle - Chapitres 1 et 2)
Adèle's life changes completely when she meets Emma, a young woman with blue hair.
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- France, Belgium, Spain • 2013
- Director Abdellatif Kechiche
- Cast Adèle Exarchopoulos, Léa Seydoux, Salim Kechiouche, Aurélien Recoing, Catherine Salée, Benjamin Siksou
- Genre Drama, Romance
- Available on MUBI, AMC+, AMC+ Amazon Channel, IFC Films Unlimited Apple TV Channel, Apple TV, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, The Roku Channel, Kanopy
Water Lilies
(Naissance des pieuvres)
Marie joins the local pool’s synchronized swim team for a chance to get close to Floriane—the “bad girl” of the team.
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- France • 2007
- Director Céline Sciamma
- Cast Pauline Acquart, Adèle Haenel, Louise Blachère, Warren Jacquin, Christel Baras, Marie Gili-Pierre
- Genre Drama, Romance
- Available on Criterion Channel
Pan's Labyrinth
(El laberinto del fauno)
What happens when make-believe believes it's real?
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- Mexico, Spain • 2006
- Director Guillermo del Toro
- Cast Ivana Baquero, Maribel Verdú, Sergi López, Doug Jones, Ariadna Gil, Álex Angulo
- Genre Drama, Fantasy, War
- Available on Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube, Spectrum On Demand
Spirited Away
(千と千尋の神隠し)
A ten-year-old girl must save her parents from hostile spirits.
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- Japan • 2001
- Director Hayao Miyazaki
- Cast Rumi Hiiragi, Miyu Irino, Mari Natsuki, Bunta Sugawara, Yumi Tamai, Ryunosuke Kamiki
- Genre Animation, Family, Fantasy
- Available on Max Amazon Channel, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Microsoft Store, YouTube
The Scent of Green Papaya
(Mùi đu đủ xanh)
An orphan and a servant for a merchant family in Saigon, Mui witnesses all their darkest secrets, but never loses her childlike love for the world.
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- Vietnam, France • 1993
- Director Tran Anh Hung
- Cast Trần Nữ Yên Khê, Man San Lu, Thi Loc Truong, Nguyen Anh Hoa, Hoa Hoi Vuong, Ngoc Trung Tran
- Genre Drama, Romance
- Available on Kanopy, Kino Film Collection, Fandango At Home, Amazon Video, Hoopla