'' Girlhood '' ( , '' Gang of Girls '' ) is a 2014 French drama film directed by Céline Sciamma , starring Karidja Touré . It is a coming of age film that focuses on the life of Marieme ( Karidja Touré ) , a girl who lives in a rough neighborhood on the outskirts of Paris The film discusses and challenges conceptions of race , gender and class ; Sciamma 's goal was to capture the stories of black teenagers , characters she claims are generally underdeveloped in French films . It was screened as part of the Directors ' Fortnight section of the 2014 Cannes Film Festival . It was also screened in the Contemporary World Cinema section at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival . It received four nominations at the 40th César Awards , including Best Director for Céline Sciamma and Most Promising Actress for Karidja Touré
2014 Cannes Film Festival
2014 Cannes Film Festival
Girlhood (film)