For two years, Kartemquin filmmaker Maria Finitzo follows five strong young women between the ages of 13 and 17. Unlike the mainstream media who portray young women as passive, powerless or mean, 5 Girls explores the ways these girls navigate adolescence. It focuses on the positive ways that girls learn to adapt to challenges in their lives by understanding and exercising choices, by resisting powerful cultural messages and by believing in their strength when others do not.
Learning Questions
1. Of all five girls who told their story (Corrie, Toby, Aisha, Haibinh, Amber), who can you identify with most and why?
2. Do you ever feel like your peers don’t completely understand you, the way bi-sexual Corrie feels in the film?
3. Amber says she is “immune to any [of her] feelings” as a result of her father’s violence and eventual abandonment. Can you think of any healthy ways to access and express strong emotions? Why is it important to express our feelings? Who do you talk to about your feelings?
4. Aisha discusses how she and her white best friend from childhood have grown apart in High School. Why do you think this happens? How has the racial dynamic at your Middle School or High School changed through the years?
5. Toby talks about how she often feels like she’s not meeting her parents’ expectations. Do you ever feel this way, and what is the best way to deal with this pressure?
6. Where is Haibinh originally from? In her family’s culture, what is the expected and typical role of a child?
7. If you come from an immigrant family, like Haibinh, how do you identify with your home country? How does it effect your everyday life in the United States?
8. Describe what you most admire about each girl.
9. Why do you think the filmmaker made this film?
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