Dir. Leslie Harris
1992, USA, 92 min
Chantel Mitchell, a hip, Black high-school girl in Brooklyn, is determined not to become “just another girl on the I.R.T.”. She dreams of medical school, a family, and an escape from the generational poverty and street-corner life her friends seem to have accepted as their lot. But personal and sexual challenges confront Chantel on her way to fulfilling these dreams.
“A gem of a film brimming with simple beauty and bold style — particularly by lead actress Ariyan A. Johnson and writer/director Leslie Harris. This is Harris’s only feature film making her another casualty of a filmmaking system that doesn’t see worth in the stories by and for black women.” – Angelica Jade Bastién, Letterboxd
“Harris’ movie shows that girls like Chantel realty do struggle against the forces that seek to trap them, and that they are for more than just victims or statistics.” – Sheryl McCarthy, Newsday
Largely ignored by the society that they live in, Black girls create their own stories that acknowledge and authenticate their existence. Curated by Mahlet Cuff, Memories of Girlhood, dives into the vulnerabilities and intricacies of what it means to be a Black girl and to have autonomy of one’s own girlhood. Featuring fiction and documentary films, Memories of Girlhood examines moments filled with joy, awkwardness, hope and resistance.
Generously sponsored by IATSE 856 Manitoba.
