There’s a common tendency among novice filmmakers when it comes to choosing what they will do for their directorial debuts, based on the idea of writing what one knows the most about. This often leads to many choosing to tell stories that hit quite close to home, since this is one foolproof way to prevent any hostile criticism, since it’s usually difficult to be too cruel to someone when they have bared their heart and soul. Hayley Kiyoko is one of the more recent additions to this category of filmmaker, since she chose to make her debut with Girls Like Girls, in which she adapts her own novel of the same name (which in turn was based on a song written and performed by the director), and is supposedly based on her own experiences in the early 2000s, particularly a summer in which she came into her own sexuality. In the case of this story, we are introduced to Coley, who has been sent to live with her estranged father (who abandoned their family when she was just a child) after the death of her mother. She tries to navigate these difficult moments as best she can, but she struggles to be seen as anything more than an outsider. However, once she meets Sonya, she finds herself finally feeling a sense of belonging, having gained a friend who seems to enjoy her company without any conditions and who seems to have a similar worldview. However, it doesn’t take long for Coley to develop feelings for her new companion, which puts their friendship to the test, especially when it turns out that Sonya doesn’t feel too dissimilar, although she has a reputation that would be absolutely derailed should it become known that she is even vaguely curious about her sexual identity. A delicately crafted romantic drama that is incredibly simple but effective, Girls Like Girls is a lovely introduction to Kiyoko as a filmmaker, her experiences on the other side of the camera for years (as well as a solid career as a musician) preparing her for the challenge of telling such an important story on screen, the results being genuinely moving, even at their most predictable.

Perhaps it can be somewhat trite, but there’s always something so special about a film that revolves around a young person exploring their identity. Adolescence is one of the most challenging periods in our lives, since we are stuck in that awkward spot between being too young to understand the world in its entirety, but at least old enough to realise that life is not always going to be easy for us – and a lot of the time, we’re burdened with the insatiable desire to be accepted by our peers, to the point that even the slightest hint of unpopularity could cause someone to spiral into a state of psychosis that can take years to recover from in many cases. This is something that forms the foundation for Girls Like Girls, which is built around a young woman gradually growing into her identity, not being entirely insecure in the feelings that she encounters once she befriends Sonya, but also being confused about how to navigate those emotions, especially when it becomes gradually more evident that she is risking any hope of becoming popular should she reveal her innermost feelings. It’s a common premise for many similarly-themed films, and Kiyoko is certainly not exploring anything particularly daring or revolutionary – but there’s nonetheless a complexity to what she is exploring, specifically in terms of the emotional content. This is essentially two films – one revolving around two girls discovering their identity does not match the status quo, and a story of a friendship being put to the test in the process. The oscillation between the two core themes makes Girls Like Girls quite a nuanced portrait of young love, while also examining a range of other themes that ultimately form the foundation for an otherwise quite compact depiction of a young protagonist learning that life is not always going to be easy until she takes the time to learn how to love herself long before she gives too much of herself away to people who don’t ultimately mean anything to her more than just teaching her some harsh realities.

At the heart of Girls Like Girls, we have a remarkable performance from the young Maya da Costa, who is making her acting debut in the role of Coley, the character based partially on the director. Considering the personal nature of the narrative, it was important for Kiyoko to find someone who could function as her on-screen surrogate without making the character feel too overly sentimental or unnecessarily self-conscious, which was a challenging prospect for such a young performer. Nonetheless, her performance is the definition of restraint, since rather than constantly making Coley’s growth and emotions explicit through dialogue, the director and her star work to allow the moments of existential despair, uncertainty and longing to play out through many non-verbal cues, such as her expressions and movements, which reflect her many quandaries and desires without becoming overly cliched. This allows the heartbreak felt by Coley to resonate far more deeply, since body language and facial expressions are often able to say what spoken words never could, ultimately making the emotional journey at the heart of this film feel so much more engaging and authentic. Throughout the film, da Costa captures the awkwardness of adolescence in a way that never feels manufactured, and instead highlights the very real insecurities and hesitations someone like Coley would be experiencing, as well as the gradual descent into impulsive behaviour, where she allows herself to surrender to her desires. It’s also plausible because of how well-crafted this performance is, with the young actor doing exceptionally well to create this memorable character, a teenager who is trying to understand herself but constantly finds herself at a philosophical crossroads. The film also succeeds because of the excellent chemistry between da Costa and Myra Molloy, who play off each other brilliantly. Even before the film moves towards the romantic content, it does well to underline the friendship between the two, the story putting in a lot of effort to create these characters who genuinely feel like teenagers discovering the liberation that comes with finding someone who genuinely understands them. Even when the screenplay leans into the familiar conventions associated with the coming-of-age genre, the performances genuinely elevate the material by making every moment feel entirely genuine.

Despite it being her debut, Kiyoko demonstrates an impressive confidence behind the camera, which is most evident in her efforts to resist the temptation to add more emotion to a story that is already quite rich in terms of the material that it has to handle. She passes a lot of the responsibility onto the performers, since this is a film built around exploring a budding relationship. This allows her to avoid relying on manipulative dialogue or excessive dramatic flourishes that may have made for a more dynamic film, but at the expense of the quiet intimacy that ultimately does linger over every frame of the film. The filmmaking is genuinely understated, with the simplicity reflecting the intimacy of the story, the director finding the perfect tonal balance that indicates that Girls Like Girls is simple but never plain. It also helps that it joins many recent queer-based coming-of-age stories in which emotional sincerity overtakes the cynicism that often populates the more dramatic entries into the genre, as well as preventing it from being too formulaic. Kiyoko is ultimately not all that interested in reinventing the genre, and prefers to approach the subject with a specific kind of honesty that feels far more fitting for the material, giving it an emotional weight that may have been difficult for something more ambitious to achieve. It’s a very quiet film, and the film finds its strength in the quieter and more intimate moments, focusing on emotional resolution more than moral grandstanding or any notable social commentary. The director recognises that this is a story about coming to terms with one’s identity, which she acknowledges not as one revelatory, joyful moment, but rather an ongoing process of self-acceptance that is never particularly easy, even for those who feel most assured. The result is a film with emotional complexity that lingers long after it has ended; the warmth and empathy with which Kiyoko made the film are what we remember the most, and ultimately make the story far more memorable than we expected.

What this film lacks in innovation and originality it more than makes up for in pure soulfulness, which often means just as much as a more subversive, daring story. It remains to be seen if Kiyoko will continue to pursue directing, but I sincerely hope she considers it, since she has the potential to be a fascinating new voice in contemporary cinema. Her willingness to tell a familiar story with honesty and compassion is the greatest strength this film has at its disposal, since it allows the emotional sincerity to become the defining characteristic, which is very important in understanding what this film represents. Every element works towards meeting the same emotional objective, which is to be a clear, meaningful exploration of identity through the perspective of a complex but recognisable character. This is helped by a simple screenplay and a brilliant set of performances, both of which are pitched at the exact level that this film was seeking, which is to be moving without becoming overly saccharine in its sentimentality. Kiyoko views this story as an intimate character study, and therefore never feels compelled to make sweeping statements, choosing to allow each viewer to form their own relationship with these characters and their experiences. Girls Like Girls is a confident, self-assured debut that knows exactly what it intends to achieve, being a well-crafted examination of identity through the lens of a simple coming-of-age drama in which there’s always something deeper to be found if we look beneath the surface. The film may not redefine the genre, but it still leaves a lasting impression because of the warm and emotional intelligence that flows throughout the narrative, underpinning every scene and finding nuances where they work best. If she can retain the same emotional honesty while pairing it with material that pushes her artistically, I can envision Kiyoko having a promising career, allowing her to develop some incredible potential that this film demonstrates beautifully.