‘Girlhood’ Review: Another Powerhouse from Céline Sciamma
Girlhood is the third feature film from director Céline Sciamma, known for her other works such as Portrait of a Lady on Fire and Tomboy. Girlhood follows Marieme (Karidja Touré), a young girl who begins the process of discovering herself after meeting a new group of girls that she befriends. Marieme lives with her two younger sisters and her older brother, who often abuses and mistreats them. Her mother works all the time, so Marieme has had to take the motherly role for her sisters. As she begins to gain a deeper sense of independence, Marieme moves further away from her family and begins reinventing herself as her own person. Girlhood is another breathtaking, powerful feature from Sciamma.
As Marieme begins to spend more time with her friends, she begins to go by the name of Vic, short for victory. This key idea of victory carries on throughout the entirety of the film. There are many areas of Marieme’s life that she wishes to be victorious in; she longs to be more assertive and to stand up for herself, and to beat those who oppose her, specifically her brother. As her confidence grows, Marieme learns to wield it against others, keeping it as a protective shield; whereas before she was timid and hid from confrontation, she now embraces it as a part of her everyday life.
This longing for victory is most clearly seen in a scene where Marieme wins in a neighborhood fight against a girl who previously beat her friend, Lady, at the same game. Though this is something Marieme as we see her at the beginning of the film would never dream of, the audience can see the switch in her demeanor throughout the movie, and watch as she grows determined to reclaim the power that was lost to her previously.
The development of Marieme is what stands out as the most powerful aspect of Girlhood. Touré brings incredible nuance to the character, and every detail she provides, down to the tiniest of facial expressions that Vic has, helps to develop the story further. The performances as a whole are brilliant, and all of them feel authentic and genuine. These are lived experiences, ones that move and breathe on the screen in a way so natural that it is impossible to feel as if they aren’t happening to you. Sciamma shows herself as a mature and talented director and writer with Girlhood.
Sciamma’s films often focus on ideas of gender and the exploration of identity in women. Girlhood is no different. It is another tale of a young girl learning who she is and finding herself, and through this exploring questions of identity, gender, and sexuality. Marieme begins the film, and develops into Vic over the course of it.
The switch in names is a reflection on the ever-growing changes going on for Marieme as she becomes who she is during the movie. By the film’s end, Vic is living a life completely different to that of Marieme, and she must accept the good and the bad of this change. A part of her longs to be Marieme again, but the events of the film have made that impossible. It’s honest, euphoric, and heartbreaking at once.
Girlhood fully displays Sciamma’s talents and is another knockout from the director. It is tender and real, and Sciamma shows her ability to make any story feel completely and utterly human.
