For years, the queer community has cried out for inclusively wholesome films that fall outside of the trend of stereotypes. No more period dramas. No unnecessary character deaths. No forbidden love that’s plighted by a straight, white man putting his foot down. Just a simple, wholesome love story. It’s never been too much to ask for, yet it’s rarely delivered. Fresh from its premiere at Sundance, Girl Picture plugs the cinematic abyss of sapphic sadness with an undeniable joy.
Best friends Mimmi (played by Aamu Milonoff) and Rönkkö (Eleonoora Kauhanen) each have different ideas about intimacy and love. While Rönkkö tries and fails her way through first dates with men, an emotionally distant Mimmi falls for figure skater Emma (Linnea Leino). While Mimmi fights against her own feelings, Rönkkö struggles to grasp what hers are — fracturing the pair’s friendship.
Through lingering, vibrant visuals, Girl Picture feels like the ultimate party to get lost in. Taking the teenage tropes from the typical American coming-of-age movie and moulding them with a rugged Finnish twist, there’s an extra sense of nuance to director Alli Haapasalo’s interpretation of young adult woes. Queerness is effortlessly centered without drawing unnecessary attention, with the exploration of identity and sexuality never tearing apart a solid friendship. Mimmi and Rönkkö have a bond most would be envious of, making them ideal catalysts for a cinematic discovery of emotional limits.
The emotional immaturity present throughout Girl Picture serves a distinct narrative purpose, yet occasionally strays too close to the ongoing social status of the LGBT+ dating scene. While those in the queer community know the story all too well, there’s something jarring about seeing a girl making dangerous dramas out of very little. Harnessing toxicity, Mimmi threatens her blossoming relationship with Emma multiple times through emotional fabrications, demonstrating an inability to communicate her own feelings. However, it’s this grasp on a gritty palette that makes the film’s story both tangible and beguiling.
Under car lights, party strobes and the shockingly harsh light of an ice rink, Girl Picture’s cinematography is equally as expressive as its sentiment. Dipping between grimy urban landscapes, the affluence of the suburbs and the safe haven of an apartment, there’s beautiful light and shade to each chosen location. This echoes into the emotional range of its structure, bouncing from the importance of keeping things for yourself to the idea of sex as something to continually practice. It’s a lot to thematically explore in one film, yet perfectly represents the addled mind of a teenager in crisis.
There’s a surprising use of sport in Girl Picture, with great emphasis given to competitive figure skating. While it’s effective in highlighting the levels of discipline between Emma and Mimmi, it also introduces the historic social connotations of the sport. In one fell swoop, Emma’s crushing regime is heightened in its femininity, while not shying away from its stereotype as a ‘queer person’s sport’. Figure skating is a useful lynchpin throughout Girl Picture, intersecting belief, opportunity and generational differences.
While some of its more toxic moments feel too infuriating to watch, Girl Picture is an exhilarating entry into the present canon of queer films that hit the right notes. Creating a sense of longing in its friendships and romances, it’s hard not to find its effect endearing and inspiring. Fueled by its inherently real dynamics, Girl Picture could be set to become a filmic classic for the ages.
