Girls State

"One nation. Under girls."

2024 1h 35m EN

👍

7.3

SOLID

★7.3TMDB · 22

Documentary

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

What would American democracy look like in the hands of teenage girls? In this documentary, young female leaders from wildly different backgrounds in Missouri navigate an immersive experiment to build a government from the ground up.

“One nation. Under girls.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Faith Glasgow
Self
Cecilia Bartin
Self
Nisha Murali
Self
Brooke Taylor
Self
Emily Worthmore
Self
Maddie Rowan
Self
Tochi Ihekona
Self

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Jesse Moss
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 2 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "Boys / Girls State Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Jesse Moss, shot by Erynn Patrick Lamont. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Amy Foote shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Faith Glasgow and Cecilia Bartin and Nisha Murali carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "One nation. Under girls.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt30259532 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Jesse Moss directs. Erynn Patrick Lamont behind the camera. Amy Foote cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 2 years ago.
2Part of the "Boys / Girls State Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
3Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
4Directed by Jesse Moss, shot by Erynn Patrick Lamont. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Editor Amy Foote shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Faith Glasgow and Cecilia Bartin and Nisha Murali carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "One nation. Under girls.".
8IMDB entry: tt30259532 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Only 22 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.
10Classified under 48 themes, including "affectation", "biting", "democracy", "social documentary".

The technical file

Cinematography: Erynn Patrick Lamont
Editing: Amy Foote
Runtime: 95 min · 1h 35m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG-13
IMDB: Girls State (2024)

Part of

Boys / Girls State Collection

In an unusual experiment, thousands of teenagers join together to build a representative government from the ground up.

Also by

Jesse Moss

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Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

Louisa Moore - Screen Zealots2025-04-04
Now more relevant than ever, “Girls State” is an inspiring documentary that shines a light on the future of American democracy through the eyes of ambitious, intelligent, and passionate young women. This political coming-of-age film (a companion piece to 2020’s “Boys State”) follows 500 high school girls from Missouri as they gather for a week-long democratic experiment where they create a government from scratch. What emerges is an empowering look at how femininity and leadership intertwine, as these young women demonstrate the drive, intelligence, and ambition needed to shape the world. The documentary captures a diverse group of teenage girls who are well-spoken and articulate, engaging in meaningful discussions about governance, policy, and the issues that matter most to them. Their passion for politics and their vision for the future are inspiring, offering hope for a generation of leaders ready to tackle the world’s problems head-on. Co-directors Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss take care to center their focus on a handful of participants, allowing an intimate glimpse into how the program transforms these young women. One of the most interesting aspects here is the documentary’s exploration of the systemic inequalities that emerge between the Girls and Boys State programs, both of which are being hosted on the same campus for the first time. This shared setting naturally invites comparisons between the two, with the program for boys often receiving more attention and being taken more seriously as a venue for meaningful political discourse. The film doesn’t shy away from these disparities, subtly highlighting the gendered expectations that still persist in the world of politics. What truly stands out is the way these young women embrace the ideas of cooperation and collaboration. Watching them navigate the challenges of building a government from the ground up while forming bonds and sharing their diverse perspectives is quite uplifting. Their willingness to engage with one another, even across ideological divides, offers a refreshing vision of what leadership can look like (and something our country so desperately needs at the moment). “Girls State” is a well-made documentary that celebrates the potential of young women to change the world. It’s a film that leaves you hopeful for the future, as these teenage girls exhibit the determination and vision to reach extraordinary heights. They are, without a doubt, the future leaders we need. By: Louisa Moore / SCREEN ZEALOTS

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