Many friends of mine told me this was not Celine Sciamma's best. "Close, bot no Tomboy" they said. I disagree. Girlhood breaks free from the enclosed spaces (the neighbourhood, the swimming pool) of Tomboy and Waterlilies and pulls a whole host of diverse and interesting characters into the protagonist's orbit. What makes the film rough is what gives it its beauty. It's a film of first time actresses, of Paris' rarely seen on film housing estates, of a director having the confidence to experiment and try new things. Absolutely loved it. This is Celine Sciamma's turning point. Like Girlhood's leading girl, the beguiling Karidja Touré, the director is making her own rules and is destined to go very far indeed.