What would an all-female government look like in the United States? Or would it be a majority-female government? It remains an illusion. But for an ambitious high school student in the Girls State program, it's content that will keep her going for at least a week, considering she's the center of attention in a new documentary debuting on Apple TV+ on Friday.
Six years ago, documentary filmmakers Amanda McBain and Jesse Moss left Texas in the aftermath of the historic and, according to Class of 2018, embarrassing stunt in which their predecessors voted to secede from the United States. I took my camera to Boys State Camp. The filmmakers were wrapping up that effort and were already thinking about a sequel that would focus on the girls' program.
In “Girls State,” they move from Texas to Missouri, where a number of people across the Midwest emerge in a heated week when the draft Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade, which legalized abortion nationwide, was leaked to Congress. Be a voice for teenagers. press. This is hardly a matter of consensus among the young women in the camp. Even if he is at one lunch table, different sides of the discussion will be represented. One girl is adamantly pro-choice, but even opponents have different views on what the government's purpose should be.
In another moment, two girls talk about the right to bear arms. Some people talk about the importance of protecting constitutional rights, the possibility of arming teachers, and the benefits of having access to a bedside automatic weapon if an armed intruder breaks into your home at night. He is preaching the sense of security that comes with being able to do things. Another wonders if it's more of a danger to the family than anything else. And they eventually agree to disagree. These talks don't necessarily change minds, but everyone seems excited about the opportunity to be heard (and sometimes heard by others).
McBain and Moss have a hard time finding a group of main characters with different backgrounds and perspectives. A city girl living in St. Louis probably considers herself the most liberal of the group. She used to follow her family, but in recent years some reformist conservatives have begun to oppose her. She is a moderate conservative who truly believes in bipartisanship. And then there's the black girl who wonders if she's the first black person others have ever seen. According to her, her microaggressions were at least few and far between. She is ultimately elected attorney general, while the others run for governor, the highest office.
Perhaps the most compelling turn of events is how a bit of gossip from a camp about Boys State, held on the same campus for the first time ever, turned into a movement. Girls are disappointed by rumors that boys will receive more funding and less fluff. Also, when it takes time to scold boys for wearing too revealing shorts or tops, everyone gets fed up, wondering if the boys are getting the same lecture. After the election, a girl decides to do investigative reporting on the rumored inequality.
Like “Boys State,'' this film is a fascinating microcosm of American teenagers. Admittedly, this is a rather narrow, self-selected group of children who have chosen to spend their week of summer vacation creating a mock government. I wonder if four years from now, eight years from now, when they vote and enter the workforce, will they have the same interest in politics and policy and ambition to do something about it? You would think so. For the sake of democracy, let's hope so. These kids are truly special.
“Girls State,” an Apple TV+ release arriving Friday, has not been rated by the Motion Picture Association of Japan, but should be suitable for most viewers. Running time: 98 minutes. 3 out of 4 stars.
