Volatile, articulate and desperately needy, Megan seethes with bitterness at having been abandoned by her mother, Vernessa, a heroin addict and prostitute, who has spent many years in prison. "I didn't know how to love anybody or to depend on people because I never had anyone stable enough in my life to actually show me that kind of love and compassion.". She had many problems communicating with her foster parents, and she ran away ten times before she had even been arrested for aggravated assault. The film was shown at 30 festivals around the world and won over a dozen prizes. Shanae was ten years old when she was gang-raped by five boys. (2003). Hanna has won numerous writing awards. Additionally, the film has been criticized for having the drama move the film along. But in [Garbus] attempt to give their lives a shape that the girls themselves seem to resist, this talented filmmaker has done both herself and them a disservice.. Shaffer, D. R., & Kipp, K. (2010). Follows two female inmates - victims of horrific violence and tragedy - who are serving time in a Maryland juvenile detention center.Documentary chronicling America's justice system. A narrative feature based on the two subjects of Liz Garbus 2003 documentary Girlhood, young female inmates Shanae Watkins and Megan Stahl, is in the works. All rights reserved. Megan, the more unruly of the two is a little older than Shanae. That is not to say that traumatic experience, crime or drug abuse are good, but that in these stories they exist and persist, even when the girls triumph and go to prom or spend time with family. Megan, the other young offender continues to practise delinquent . Open Document. This is the latest feature-length non-fiction film from documentarian Liz Garbus, who has spotlighted imprisonment in 2002's "The Execution of Wanda June" and the 1998 Oscar-nominee "The Farm: Angola USA." As with those two films, "Girlhood" looks at the incarceration of violent-crime offenders. ET on OWN. Movies about murdered prostitutes and serial killers who prey on women are so ubiquitous as to be banal, and perhaps not even shockingly these stories tend to be about the cops or lawyers investigating the crimes to which they have fallen victim, and not about the women themselves. Genre:. Instead it resembles one of those depressingly familiar, underfunded and understaffed holding pens for social throwaways -- in other words, it looks as much like an inner-city high school as a correctional institution. The system essentially gives up on trying to control her and turns her loose to fend for herself. After all, Shanae explains, at least the dead girl is in heaven. Shanae fatally stabbed the girl in the neck with a kitchen knife. Megan, however, was virtually abandoned by her mother and received little support from the rest of the family. The new documentary "Girlhood" isn't a horror movie, but there isn't another movie this year that chills the blood as quickly as the brief exchange caught on camera between a 15-year-old girl. I have three lovely kids," she says. MPAA rating: Unrated. For instance, Antoinette is a single mother who worked in two jobs so that she could support Shanae. Shanae's family -- and her mother in particular -- repeatedly demonstrated that they loved her and wanted her to make a change for the better. This presumption is damaging because ultimately Garbus makes uncomplicated subjects of the girls. Against all odds, they have become responsible citizens who give back to their communities.. In this article, I honor the significance of girl culture by accounting for The Craft's appeal to girl audiences. Footage of the two girls is then followed along with more title cards that give insight into the crimes they have committed. Her future appears shaky. From there she enrolls in high school, where she places fourth in her class, and plans to attend a community college. The new documentary Girlhood isnt a horror movie, but there isnt another movie this year that chills the blood as quickly as the brief exchange caught on camera between a 15-year-old girl and her parents. It indicates that she is wary of strangers (Garbus, 2003). The third is her reluctance to become close with others. Megan was shuffled through 11 different foster homes, running away from all except one. Other aspects reveal themselves when she grows older. "Oprah: Where Are They Now?" Developmental Psychology: Childhood & Adolescence: Childhood and Adolescence. So she held his hand, Review: Beau Is Afraid is quite an odyssey, but not necessarily an oughta-see. While taking the country, Following an investigations there were findings that certain violations were evident and specifically those relating to failure to protect confined juveniles from harm; failure to address incidences of youth violence due to inadequate supervision; failure to protect juveniles confined from participation in sexual activity; and excessive use of physical force, among other serious violations all clearly in violation of professional standards and conduct. It isnt just difficult to do justice to Shanae and Megan in an average of 44 minutes apiece; as it turns out, its impossible. The mystery of the young woman's disappearance haunts her single, middle-aged, working-class mother, Mari Gilbert (Amy Ryan), for the duration of Lost Girls intentionally bleak, downbeat, if. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Vidiots returns: L.A. institution reveals opening date for new movie theater, video store, Everything Everywhere All at Once explained: Hot dog hands, empathy challenges and meaning in the absurd, Captain America: The Winter Soldier reviews salute action, intrigue, Morgan Freeman criticizes Black History Month and the term African American, Armie Hammer sexual-assault allegations being reviewed by L.A. prosecutors, Waynes World is not the film Penelope Spheeris wants to be remembered for, Super Mario Bros. surpasses $600 million to top the 2023 box office, The actor, the hairstylist and the eye surgeon: Drugs and death in a Malibu beach house, Have guests in town? The film then narrows its focus to concentrate on the lives of two teenagers, Shanae Owens and Megan Jensen, both incarcerated for assault at the Waxter Juvenile Facility in Baltimore. Girlhoodshows day-to-day scenes in the girls' lives at Waxter, allowing you to really familiarize yourself with them. While Shanae, the victim of a horrendous violent crime herself as a child, has difficulty coming to grips with the murder she's committed, she's clearly an intelligent, charismatic, and, most importantly, motivated girl. Gender Roles In The Film Girlhood. Shanae and Megan are both magnetic characters, and their story is as relevant as it is inspiring. Web.18 April. Not surprisingly, by the end of the documentary she is living alone in Baltimore while Shanae was living with her family and doing well in high school while preparing to attend a junior college. Most of these reasons were actually some of the primary themes in Liz Garbus' documentary Girlhood, which followes the lives of these young women for three years from the Waxter Juvenile Detention Center to the streets of Baltimore. If the movie suggests that a strong mother-daughter bond is the key to a successful rehabilitation, it is too intelligent to belabor that notion. 794 Words. While Shanae told her own story -- murdering another girl after the two got into an argument -- and shared remorse for her violent actions, Megan seemed much more guarded. SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY: GIRLHOOD MOVIE REVIEW. Once Shanae begins to face the reality of what she did, she is transferred to a group home and begins to flourish. The documentary indicates the patterns in Shanae's and Megan's life histories that fit with offending. If the movie suggests that a strong mother-daughter bond is the key to a successful rehabilitation, it is too intelligent to belabor that notion. Even though she does not get the chance to further her education, she avoids returning to a life of crime (Garbus, 2003). But it also made me wonder, why was Megan not looked after in essence like Shanae was? http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/29/movies/film-review-documentary-illuminates-young-lives-crossroads-redemption.html Shanae was only 11 at the time and had tumbled into a numbed existence of drinking and drugs after being gang-raped by five boys. Megan's mother was a drug-addled prostitute, and after being placed in, and escaping from, nearly a dozen foster homes, Megan committed a violent crime. By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you're agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. Her mother was largely able to chart Shanae's problem for the duration of the movie, because she cared about her and wanted to see her do better. http://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-nov-14-et-girlhood14-story.html, http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/29/movies/film-review-documentary-illuminates-young-lives-crossroads-redemption.html, http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/girlhood-subjects-get-narrative-feature-829762, http://sites.google.com/view/ehdwjwbxfu/linkedlist-member-modification-c, thesis statements about the xname sequence. Then, she got up and walked off set. 1103 Words. Because the film does not incorporate the juvenile system that fails Megan and others like her, the focus of the film becomes on the distinction between mothers who neglect their children and mothers who do not. It is typically more difficult for adults to change their patterns of behavior than it is for younger people. Feb 26th, 2022 Published. In the documentary, we learn that she runs away from foster care eleven times, ten before Waxter and once more after leaving Waxter. New York: Psychology Press. Documentary chronicling America's justice system. The film opens with the title card, In the United States, during the last decade, the number of young girls committing violent crimes has more than doubled. The subject of their research lies in the standards of juvenile detention centers and facilities. The documentary Girlhood offers an insight on the emotional, psychological, and social reasoning behind the girl's actions. Electronic Inspiration LLC. But Vernessa quickly reverts to her old ways, and the scenes of Megan viciously berating her mother for her failures are painful to watch. We were introduced to Shanae, a young girl, convicted of murder. "I started using cocaine, I was strung out on drugs -- bad. This may be a psychological scar due to her relationship with her mother. Shanae and Megans girlhoods contain all that which other parts of life contain, and to think of Garbus idea of girlhood as winning at the end of the film is short-sighted and perhaps fails to move forward with Girlhood Studies attention to complexity and fullness (including pain) of this part of life for her subjects. When she originally returned to Baltimore, Megan's life went downhill. Directed by Liz Garbus; director of photography, Tony Hardmon; edited by Mary Manhardt; music by Theodore Shapiro; produced by Ms. Garbus and Rory Kennedy; released by Wellspring. ''Girlhood, which was shot in 16 millimeter, is a bare-bones affair, as spare as the juvenile institution in which much of it was filmed. But in her attempt to give their lives a shape that the girls themselves seem to resist, this talented filmmaker has done both herself and them a disservice. She tries to reach out to her mother multiple times despite being disappointed numerous times. And at 12, she had become a killer. The effects of detention have been researched and discovered to be detrimental to the safety and mental health of the juvenile, as well as increase the chance of recidivism. As Oprah questioned Megan about her current situation and plans for the future, the teen grew visibly agitated. Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, t. As a child, her mother was absent. Times guidelines: Adult language, some drug use, strong emotional content. At 14, she was hit by a stray bullet during a gunfight. Subsequently, she was always looking for that support and without it had less incentive and means to create a change in her life. By end fil Garbus explains that she encountered the contradictions of Shanae and Megans girlhoods early on; she mentions that she was struck by [Shanaes] little girl-ness, her innocence, but this was complicated by what she learned about the violence of her crime. That is to say, Garbus sees crime and girlhood as opposite experiences. Girlhood Directed by Liz Garbus Documentary, Crime Not Rated 1h 22m By Stephen Holden Oct. 29, 2003 Liz Garbus's hard-headed documentary film ''Girlhood'' is prefaced with an unsettling. Not Hollywood, not L.A., not the country, At 19, he won a local school board seat. Unfortunately, this meant that she had no time to supervise and spend most time with Shanae. The girls have traumatic experiences that affect their relationship with others. When Girlhood opens, Shanae (we never learn her last name) is serving time in the all-girls unit at the Thomas J.S. These girls are the subjects of Liz Garbus' documentary, Girlhood. FILM REVIEW; A Documentary Illuminates Young Lives at the Crossroads of Redemption and Devastation, https://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/29/movies/film-review-documentary-illuminates-young-lives-crossroads-redemption.html. With its drab green walls and sparse furnishings, Waxter is no country club. In Garbus version of their lives, these experiences do not bring them down. They emerge triumphant; their girlhood, we end up hoping, will be salvaged. LA Times reviewer Manohla Dargis notes, Garbus obsession with levity ultimately triumphs, leaving us with an unfinished picture: [T]o turn complex and contradictory lives into palatable narratives, is one of the least-examined pitfalls in nonfiction filmmaking. When Ms. Hill choked on her tears for Shanae leaving - it was heartfelt. Once Shanae begins to face the reality of what she did, she is transferred to a group home and begins to flourish. She gets her place to live. At paperdue.com, we provide students the tools they need to streamline their studying, researching, and writing tasks. By continuing, you are agreeing to receive cookies. In the documentary Girlhood, Liz Garbus follows two young women who have encountered numerous misfortunes in the past that led them to implement their violent offences. Shanae Owens is incarcerated after murdering a friend at age eleven and Megan Jensen for assault with a deadly weapon on a foster sibling. With the help of her mother, Shanae can graduate from high school. Begin typing your search term above and press enter to search. She is often well behaved, but she still shows bouts of mischief. What both girls crave is the stabilizing force of a caring and responsible mother. Girls like Shanae and the films other principal subject, Megan, a disarmingly appealing teenager who, bounced from one foster home to another (11 total), landed in Waxter after slicing open another girl with a box cutter. Then, she brutally stabbed another girl with a box cutter and ended up in juvenile home for some of the most violent young offenders in the country. With discussions of girls in Virginia Woolf, Simone de Beauvoir, Alice Walker, and Sapphire, I show how these influential feminist authors demonstrate an intense yet anxious preoccupation specifically with girlhood subjectivity as its own identity category, and with girlhood sexuality as a site for devising textuality. Join our weekly newsletter to stay up-to-date on women centric, directed, and written films and news. Wake up to the day's most important news. Strength-Based Approaches Garbus rigidity in framing the girls experiences does not allow for the expansiveness and complexity allowed by new theories of girlhood. The film then changes focus on Megan and her deteriorating relationship with her mother. She specializes in academic writing, copywriting, business plans and resumes. T he 'Girlhood' documentary highlights the plight of girls in juvenile centers with some psychological disorders. Running time: 88 minutes. Ecological Framework Then, everything changed when Megan got pregnant. Her emotional responses are not well adjusted. Shanae, however, simply had to acknowledge her culpability in the murder of a friend before being able to effect a significant change in the direction of her life. There are a couple of different things I would attempt to implement if I were the director of the Waxter Juvenile Facility to make the program more efficacious for juveniles sent there for reform. Assignment #2 In class we viewed documentary titled Girlhood, the film surrounded two teenage girls named Megan and Shanae. All Rights Reserved. Third, Shanae becomes emotionally expressive. Second, she is unable to regulate her emotions (Garbus, 2003). She receives more family support than Megan is, but she does not seem to reciprocate it at the beginning of the film. In 1997 on a Baltimore street, Shanae got into a fight with 13-year-old Chineye Mills, allegedly over a boy. Girlhood[Motion Picture]. But Garbus sidesteps this queasy unpleasantness either because it pains her or because it doesnt fit with the triumphant survivor story shes trying to tell. Challenging Attachment In the movie, we were able to watch two female offenders in the juvenile justice system. Shanae committed the most serious of crimes, yet she's open-faced and radiant. Co-producer, sound Amy Goodman. We wont be able to verify your ticket today, but its great to know for the future. Shanae shows certain resilience characteristics that help her reform her life. This paradoxical relationship with her parent is evident (Brody & Dwyer, 2016). Abruptly, she halted the conversation. Additionally, she still struggles after growing up, but she ensures that she never becomes an addict (Garbus, 2003). Megan, a pretty girl with a devilish gleam in her eye, tries to get by on charm, but she doesn't have Shanae's focus. Copyright 2022 My Essay Writer. Shanae has been at Waxter longer than any other inmate and after two years shes itching to get out. Megan Jensen had a difficult childhood. This fact, combined with the lack of familial support that Megan got, certainly contributed to her continuing to run away from foster homes. She responded by drinking and drugging, and then at age 12, graduated to murder. In the film Girlhood by Liz Garbus we are introduced to two young girl's named Megan and Shanae, who committed a crime and are getting help through a facility that helps young girls reflect on their actions. This confused young girl ran away from ten foster homes and wound up attacking another . Girlhood misses some of the nuance of the girlhoods that it seeks to document in a few ways. However, it is also noteworthy that Megan is two years older than Shanae. 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