We’ve got Boys State, and now we’re finally getting a Girls State. Apple Original Films is gearing up to release the documentary, which will see 500 girls attempt to build their own government.
The concept isn’t new, as it was previously explored in Boys State by directors Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss, who followed 1,100 boys from Texas as they embarked on a project to build a democracy. The experiment is actually a tradition that began in Texas and is now held in nearly every state. It was known at the time that there was also a Girls State, raising interest in their stories, too. Now, McBaine and Moss are revisiting the documentary premise but from the girls’ side.
It’s an intriguing exploration into what kind of world the next generation might build and the complexities of the political system from a teenager’s perspective. This documentary may be even more interesting than Boys State since women are usually underrepresented in politics, and the United States is arguably even more politically polarized than in 2020.
Upon its release, Boys State received numerous awards, including a Critics’ Choice Documentary Award, a Primetime Emmy, and a Sundance Film Festival Award. The documentary is, at times, a startling or hopeful experiment for viewers as we see America’s present and future reflected in the process. At the same time, male-led and male-founded governments are a little too familiar. However, things could get interesting by delving into what a female-led government looks like.
Apple drops the first trailer for Girls State
On March 14, Apple TV+ dropped the first official trailer for Girls State and confirmed the documentary will arrive on its platform for streaming on April 5.
The trailer promises a genuinely moving and inspiring documentary. It shows clips of various girls speaking to the camera about the importance of Girls State. These young women know what it’s like to grow up in a nation that has never had a female President and where women are often shut down when they try to engage in politics. For some girls, this may be the only chance to experience what a women-led government would like and one of the few chances in which they are given complete control and allowed to be heard.
At times, Boys State took frightening turns, such as when the boys addressed female issues and, for example, thousands expressed anti-abortion sentiments. Hence, viewers will be especially anxious to see what different direction the government and conversation will take with women in charge. It promises to be an enlightening experience, as its so rare we allow young women to carry the conversation on what our world should look like.
What to expect from Apple’s Girls State
Girls State will essentially be a “sister” documentary to Boys State. It follows the same concept but with a few minor changes. First, the setting for this documentary will be Missouri instead of Texas, and the experiment will follow 500 girls instead of 1,100 boys. The official synopsis for the documentary reads:
What would American democracy look like in the hands of teenage girls? A political coming-of-age story and a stirring reimagination of what it means to govern, “Girls State” follows young female leaders — from wildly different backgrounds across Missouri — as they navigate an immersive experiment to build a government from the ground up.
According to Deadline, the experiment will challenge the girls to “campaign for office and form a Supreme Court to weigh the most divisive issues of the day,” among other things.
With the same award-winning filmmakers returning for Girls State and the documentary exploring a very relevant political experiment, the film could prove as successful as Boys State. The idea of teenagers building and running a government might sound scary or silly, and there no doubt will be some silly, cringey, and humorous moments as there were with the boys, but it will also be intriguing to see what the country’s young women are capable of and how different their system will be from the one created in Boys State.
(featured image: Apple Original Films)
