Hear My Eyes: 'Girlhood'

The award-winning coming-of-age French drama returns for MIFF, this time with a live score by Sampa The Great.
Sarah Ward
May 14, 2019

Overview

First hitting Australian cinemas back in 2015, Girlhood was one of the year's landmark films, taking viewers into the coming-of-age exploits of a group of friends living on the outskirts of Paris. Written and directed by Céline Sciamma, the French drama follows 16-year-old Marieme (Karidja Touré) as she struggles at home, dreams of something more, joins a girl gang and navigates the reality of life on the margins. From Sciamma's vivid and empathetic style, to the standout performances from the largely untrained cast, to the stellar use of Rihanna's 'Diamonds', the award-winning movie isn't easily forgotten.

The folks at the Melbourne International Film Festival clearly haven't stopped thinking about it, either. In fact, the fest has added it to this year's MIFF lineup, and it's doing something special to mark the occasion. As part of the Hear My Eyes series that's been on the event's agenda since 2017, Girlhood will screen at the at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on Saturday, August 3 — with Sampa The Great performing a live score as the movie plays.

Cinephiles won't just be treated to a rare chance to revisit the film on the big screen, but will hear Sampa's take on Jean-Baptiste de Laubier's original soundtrack. How to you improve one of the decade's great flicks about female friendship and empowerment? By adding a new, unique blend of neo-soul, hip-hop and spoken word poetry that you'll never get to experience again.

If you caught Sampa's live performances in support of Kendrick Lamar, Lauryn Hill, Thundercat and Joey Bada$$, you'll be doubly excited.

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