500 teenage girls, building democracy from the ground up. Can they do it? Find out on April 5th in Apple TV+‘s new documentary feature, Girls State. The documentary film follows a diverse mix of young girls across Missouri who re-imagine American politics from multiple points of view.
Directed by Emmy winners Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine, Girls State takes viewers through a journey of challenging politics, friendships and community-building. Moss and McBaine released a similar film, Boys State, in 2020. Boys State followed 1,100 boys from Texas running for governor in an imaginary “boys state”.
Moss and McBaine’s new film seems to highlight a more collaborative approach to running a government, perhaps highlighting a different side of leadership.
In the film’s tailer, the girls hold elections, supreme court hearings and election campaigns. Merging race, gender and other identities into the mix, Moss and McBaine also explore what American society would look like with its first female president and women-led government.
Breaking barriers to the age-old stereotype that women in politics are too emotional, Moss and McBaine will also explore how much emotional connections actually affect building a new democratic nation.
The documentary premiered in January at the Sundance Film Festival, receiving positive reviews like Boys State. With a 95% on Rotten Tomatoes, critics described the film as a mixture of endearing relationships, painful betrayals and intense problem-solving.
Even though it’s far from clear what changes Girls State will highlight and how successfully, it certainly does foreshadow one of the most high stakes and fascinating looks into real-life politics run by real-life teenage girls.
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