A Girl's Own Story (1984)

I believe it is Gloria's brother that is part of these games and impregnates her.

Director:

Jane Campion

Writer:

Jane Campion

Stars:

Gabrielle Shornegg, Geraldine Haywood, Marina Knight

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gabrielle Shornegg	...	Pam
Geraldine Haywood	...	Stella
Marina Knight	...	Gloria
John Godden	...	Graeme
Joanne Gabbe	...	Sister
Colleen Fitzpatrick	...	Mother
Paul Chubb	...	Father
Jane Edwards	...	Deidre
Cynthia Turner	...	Nun 1
Valda Diamond	...	Nun 2
Katharine Cullen	...	Little Pam
Jordi Austin	...	School Girl
Jeanette Blake	...	School Girl
Jennifer Blake	...	School Girl
Dorothy Blaney	...	School Girl

Storyline

A look at three girls, young teens, in the era of the Beatles. Pam lives with parents who haven't spoken directly to each other in two years, using their daughters to talk across the table to each other. Gloria wants to play games with her boyfriend Graeme and ends up pregnant after a kissless, passionless introduction to sex. Stella becomes popular and puts her friendship with Pam on hold. Meanwhile, Pam's father and other predatory men lurk in the shadows around the girls.

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Plot Keywords:

the beatles | knife | space heater | skipping rope | cat | 

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Genres:

Short

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Details

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 April 2000 (USA)

Company Credits

Technical Specs

Runtime:

27 min

Color:

Black and White

Did You Know?

Trivia

This short film is featured on the 2-Disc Criterion Collection DVD for Sweetie.

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Connections

Edited into Cinema16: World Short Films (2008)

User Reviews

Her Very OWN

I recently watched "In the Cut," and found its connectives strange and exciting. So I went to this to see them when young and raw.

Supposedly, this is Campion's first long form film. It didn't quite work as a film the first time because it is so fractionated. Her earlier "Passionless Moments" was in the Greenaway tradition of aggregating small bits, small glances, into a world. The same is carried here and though there is a story — something actually happens to a poor girl — the bits of the story do not connect. It frustrated me.

But then I got it. Breillat, for instance, stands on our side when telling us about women and especially girls. She gives the genuine insight but uses the smooth form. Campion stands on the girl's side: this fragmentation, this lack of narrative continuity, this disconnectedness from sense — it would be what the girl would experience.

"Each of us has a fragile presence that fades almost as it forms." That is Campion, literally. She captures that melting snowflake, the tragedy of the melt from within. The collapse of order.

There is nothing like visiting the beginnings of filmmakers you have come to trust.

Ted's Evaluation -- 3 of 3: Worth watching.