Girls Town
Available 1/27/26
Mid-1990s, New York City. Patti, Angela, Emma and Nikki are high school seniors and best friends preparing for life beyond graduation. Their dreams for the future differ greatly – Angela wants to become a poet, Emma and Nikki have are heading for college, and Patti is a young mother looking for stability in her kid’s life – but the four bright, young women are steadfastly loyal to each other in a way only teenagers know how to be. Their lives are then completely upended when, after being sexually assaulted, Nikki unexpectedly commits suicide. Grieving, angry and forced to return to daily life without satisfying recourse for their feelings, the girls must come of age with a newfound understanding about the patriarchal world in which they live.
Led by Lili Taylor, Bruklin Harris, Anna Grace and recent Academy Award-nominee Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor (KING RICHARD), the 1996 award-winning Sundance indie was co-written by the actors in collaboration with first-time filmmaker Jim McKay, lending “a welcome little gust of teen-age realism” (The New York Times) to the film’s coming-of-age narrative. One of the first films of its kind to frankly address sexual violence as women experience it, GIRLS TOWN continues to be relevant in a post-#MeToo world. An energetic, all-female soundtrack featuring 1990s musical icons Queen Latifah, PJ Harvey, Roxanne Shante, Salt-N-Pepa and others underscore the films timeless message of empowerment.
The 4K restoration by IndieCollect was funded with support from the HFPA Trust, Donald A. Pels Charitable Trust, IndieCollect donors, and Fellow Citizen, Inc.
Cast
- Lili Taylor
- Bruklin Harris
- Anna Grace
- Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor
- Guillermo Diaz
DVD Features
Discs: 1
- "A welcome little gust of teen-age realism. In celebrating the solidarity of high school girls who refuse to live and die according to the Beverly Hills ideal, the movie raises a hoarse cheer for candor and spunky self-determination."
- "Lili Taylor... gives a superlative, gut-wrenching performance in “Girls Town,” a powerfully raw, ultra-realistic drama about a trio of abused teenage girls and their struggle to survive in a rigidly defined, male-dominated society. Jim McKay‘s striking feature debut [is] an empowering feminist saga...."
- "I would like to see another movie in three or four years, about what has happened to these angry, gifted friends."
- "[A] sprightly, thoughtful, and street-smart exploration of urban girlhood. You know, the kind of film that is, sadly even still, all too rare, and still, nearly 30 years later, still kicks ass."
- "[T]he film portrays an often-disenfranchised group with compassion, respect, and humor."
- "The performances and the film's plausible handling of an unusual movie subject make Girls Town special."
- "Part revenge fantasy, part buddy flick for chicks, and with an up-to-the-minute all-female soundtrack, "Girls Town" never strays from its essential strength: the reality of its characters. "
- "It is outspoken, unpolished, and easily the most realistic movie ever made about the lives of young women."
- "[D]espite its serious subject matter, GIRLS TOWN never feels leaden or dour. It’s a smart, often funny, and always engaging study of female adolescence, presented in a style that showcases its young stars."
- "Nearly three decades on from its debut, the re-release of Girls Town shows this coming-of-age drama is more potent than ever...The lexicon and honesty of Girls Town marks it as a film ahead of its time."
- "Something is electrifying about watching a movie that feels like it's been plucked from the reality of high school, bringing a tale of solidarity into our worlds. When it first premiered at Sundance in 1996, it broke ground by tackling hefty themes of empowerment and resilience, which resonate just as strongly today, thanks to the newly restored theatrical presentation by Film Movement Classics. For those looking for cinema that speaks directly to society's challenges with a vibrant call to action, this film delivers by the reel."
- "[GIRLS TOWN]'s strength lies in its truthful rendering of the relationships of teenage girls."
- "[A] real treat. Originally released in 1996, the film is a fascinating look at a bygone era as well as a showcase for then-budding talent...GIRLS TOWN sides with the girls and their acts of reckoning...No adults influence the girls, no one tells them to calm down. So they merrily scorch the earth in front of them. "
- "An empowering feminist tale made authentic by the actresses participation in the scripting."
- "The film’s foul-mouthed, belligerent characters challenge the audience to suspend traditional views of women."
Awards & Recognition
Special Jury Recognition
Sundance Film Festival
Filmmakers Trophy
Sundance Film Festival
Best Actress
Seattle Int'l. Film Festival
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