Girls Will Be Girls (Subtitled) (15)

Shuchi Talati's sensitive debut feature focuses on a teenage girl in North India who experiences first love amid clashing with her mother.

Told in English and Hindi, the story is set in the Himalayan foothills of the 1990s where Mira is a star student and head prefect at a strict boarding school. She faces the pressure of enforcing outdated rules that alienate her from classmates, including her close friend Priya. But amidst this tension, Mira finds solace in a tender, secret romance with Sri, whose carefree lifestyle starkly contrasts Mira’s challenges, particularly her relationship with her unconventional mother, Anila (Kani Kusruti).

Talati is brilliant in showcasing the struggles of adolescence, friendship, and familial bonds. She captures the delicate balance between tradition and individuality, highlighting the transformative journey of a young woman striving to find her voice in a restrictive environment. First-time actor Preeti Panigrahi is magnificent as Mira while Kusruti is a force of her own as Anila. The complexities of their mother-daughter relationship and their resistance to the directions that society has pulled them gives this story both heart and soul.

A quiet, composed and moving document of generational girlhood that’s a welcome addition to the coming-of-age genre.