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Girl
2018 105 min Belgium, Netherlands R 18+
★7.3
Drama
Director: Lukas Dhont
Trailers
Description
A promising teenage dancer enrolls at a prestigious ballet school while grappling with her gender dysphoria.
Starring
Victor Polster
Actor
Arieh Worthalter
Actor
Oliver Bodart
Actor
Awards
Cannes Film Festival 2018
— FIPRESCI Prize – Un Certain Regard
Cannes Film Festival 2018
— Caméra d'Or
Cannes Film Festival 2018
— Queer Palm
European Film Awards 2018
— Best Actor
Golden Globe 2019
— Best International Feature Film
Cannes Film Festival 2018
— Caméra d'Or
San Sebastián International Film Festival 2018
— Audience Award – Best Film
Goya Awards 2019
— Best European Film
Cannes Film Festival 2018
— Queer Palm
European Film Awards 2018
— Discovery of the Year
San Sebastián International Film Festival 2018
— Audience Award – Best European Film
Cannes Film Festival 2018
— Un Certain Regard – Best Actor
Key opinion
Girl is a visually striking and emotionally raw debut that centers on a teenager's rigorous journey toward gender transition. While the film is widely praised for its lead performance, critics are divided over whether the narrative offers a profound psychological study or a superficial, overly stylized depiction of suffering.
| Acting | Victor Polster’s lead performance is remarkably convincing, grounding the film with a sense of visceral, lived-in authenticity. | |
| Cinematography | The cinematography uses evocative color palettes and chiaroscuro lighting to effectively externalize the protagonist's internal conflict. | |
| Theme | The film’s portrayal of a supportive, idealized social environment creates a polarizing effect; some find it a refreshing focus on internal struggle, while others view it as unrealistic and shallow. | |
| Direction | Critics disagree on the effectiveness of the director's focus on the protagonist's physical pain; while some see it as a powerful metaphor for transition, others argue it becomes an exploitative or repetitive display of agony. |