Coky Giedroyc: My Favorite Female Coming-of-Age Stories
Coky Giedroyc
Director

There aren't that many female coming-of-age movies. But you know what, that is exactly what I found interesting – that there aren't enough. And so making How to Build a Girl was really important, to be in that small list of funny, enlightening or life-affirming coming-of-age films. I have Greta Gerwig to thank a lot for this little list.

1
Lady Bird
2017

It's funny. It's funny, it's messy and it's utterly truthful.

2
Booksmart
2019

It's "Superbad" for girls, because girls are allowed to behave like total idiots and get away with it.

3
Little Women
2019

It is the ultimate coming-of-age film: you can be smart and fierce and female.

4
The Diary of a Teenage Girl
2015

I loved its quirkiness and its oddity, but I was sad that the female character is punished for having sex. So many films take that course, tell that story.

5
Fish Tank
2009

"Fish Tank" is an amazing film, but yet again, the central character is punished for transgressing. It's a very powerful film, though. I love it.

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