SND is thrilled to share this amazing news! They will be handling international sales on “The Girls We Want,” the debut feature film of French director Princia Car. The film is set to make its world premiere at the prestigious Directors’ Fortnight in Cannes, providing a significant platform for Car’s first feature project.
Set against the backdrop of Marseille during the summer holidays, The Girls We Want follows a 20-something man and his longtime friends who work at a summer camp for children. The story explores the fundamentalism, aspirations, and sexual identity of these children. It’s an incredible look into their complicated dynamics, especially when one member returns to the group after being away for decades.
A Unique Perspective on Youth
The film depicts the coming-of-age challenges experienced by youth caught inside the walls of stereotypes that have already been built. Collaborator on the project, Johanna Nahon tells us a bit about her perspective on Princia’s film. She argues that it goes beyond suburbia idealization, zeroing in on the true hardships young people face coming-of-age with their teen issues under strict societal expectations. It studied their group dynamic, which is at once defiantly protective and deeply confining. It showed the bravery it took to escape and find intimacy.
This perspective allows us to see the distinct arcs of each character’s story. It underscores the commonalities in those experiences which converge to impact their lives. By highlighting their stories and interactions, The Girls We Want wants to speak to all the girls and boys that have faced these experiences.
Collaborative Efforts and Production
Princia Car and Lena Mardi teamed up to write the script for The Girls We Want. Their joint work underscores their mutual ambition for powerful storytelling. The film features new and accomplished young actors, all discovered in Marseille. They’ve all collaborated with Car before in her short films, like Barcelona. This short film won Best Short Film between 2017 and 2019 at the 2019 Clermont-Ferrand festival, solidifying Car’s status as a great up-and-coming filmmaker.
After Hours Production collaborated with France 3 and Zinc to produce The Girls We Want. With this film, Scorsese is going to give us a glorious trip to the movies. Ramy Nahas hammers home that point about the film’s heart, calling “The Girls We Want” a colorful, energetic, contemporary look at the teenage experience. He describes its force as the impact of filmmakers such as Andrea Arnold, Sean Baker, and Abdellatif Kechiche, attributing to it HD luminous gloss on youth and its profound universality.
Upcoming Release
Following its premiere at Cannes, The Girls We Want will release in French theaters July 16. Zinc is managing the rollout. Its gripping story and powerhouse stars will surely make it a must-see here and abroad.