Movie Discovery of the Day: Little Trouble Girls (2025) by Urska Djukic
- dailyentertainment95
- Apr 13
- 5 min read
About movie: https://heretic.gr/film/little-trouble-girls/
Link Review: https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/473779/
Link IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt28834646/
Link to watch: https://pro.festivalscope.com/film/little-trouble-girls
Detailed Summary
The film follows 16-year-old Lucia, a shy student at a Catholic school, as she joins the all-girls choir. There, she befriends the charismatic and outspoken Ana-Maria. During a weekend choir retreat at a countryside convent for intensive rehearsals, Lucia begins to experience a sexual awakening, and new desires, beliefs, and values emerge, challenging her previous worldview. Her growing attraction to a restoration worker at the convent creates tension with Ana-Maria and within the choir, threatening to disrupt their friendships and the choir's harmony. The film explores themes of teen sexuality, Catholic guilt, female friendship, and the challenges of navigating conflicting social and religious reinforcements during adolescence.
Plot Summary
During a choir retreat at a convent, a shy teenager's sexual awakening creates tension with her friends and challenges her understanding of faith and desire.
Director's Vision
Urška Djukić's vision for "Little Trouble Girls" was to explore the familiar theme of a young woman's sexual awakening while navigating the conflicting social and religious expectations of her environment. Taking its title from a Sonic Youth song, the film depicts a pivotal moment in time for Lucia as she experiences new desires and beliefs that clash with her upbringing in a Catholic school and her friendships within the choir. Djukić aimed to portray this journey with sincerity, exploring the tension between Catholic devotion and erotic abandon.
Themes
Sexual Awakening: The film centers on Lucia's exploration of her sexuality and new desires.
Female Friendship: The bond between Lucia and Ana-Maria, and the dynamics within the all-girls choir, are key themes.
Catholic Guilt and Religion: The film explores the conflict between religious teachings, particularly around female sexuality, and the characters' personal desires.
Coming-of-Age: Lucia's experiences at the retreat mark a significant step in her journey into adulthood.
Challenging Societal Norms: Lucia's awakening and her feelings challenge the strict norms and expectations of her conservative environment.
Key Success Factors
The film won the TitraFilm award at the Les Arcs Film Festival in 2023 and the FIPRESCI Prize at the 2025 Berlin International Film Festival. These accolades highlight the film's strong storytelling, direction, and impact. The performances of the young actresses, particularly Jara Sofija Ostan as Lucia and Mina Švajger as Ana-Maria, have been praised as natural and expressive.
Summary Short
During a choir retreat at a convent, an introverted teenager's emerging sexuality and attraction to someone outside her peer group disrupt her friendships and challenge her understanding of faith and desire.
Awards and Nominations
"Little Trouble Girls" won the TitraFilm award at the Les Arcs Film Festival in 2023 and the FIPRESCI Prize at the 2025 Berlin International Film Festival. It was also nominated for the GWFF Best First Feature Award and the Teddy Award for Best Short Films at the 2025 Berlinale.
Critics Reception
Critics have generally responded positively to "Little Trouble Girls." It has been described as a beguiling work with a curious and self-assured vision, imbuing coming-of-age tropes with exuberance and vitality. The film's exploration of teen sexuality and Catholic guilt has been noted as astute and engaging.
Reviews
International Cinephile Society: Described the film as moody, sensual, full of deeper meaning, and ripe with possibilities, highlighting the phenomenal talents of the lead actresses.
Cineuropa: Noted the film's curious and self-assured vision, imbuing coming-of-age tropes with exuberance and vitality. It also pointed out the sincere way the film brings in sex and sin on the same plane.
Eye for Film: Found the film a captivating and emotional experience, resonating on both personal and universal levels, with DNA tracing to early Céline Sciamma films.
DMovies: Mentioned the film's focus on Catholic guilt in women and how a young girl deals with her first urges, but found the resolution cumbersome and some symbolism lame.
Box Office
"Little Trouble Girls" has grossed $6,461 in Slovenia. Further box office information is not widely available.
Production
"Little Trouble Girls" is a 90-minute film directed by Urška Djukić, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Maria Bohr. It is produced by Spok Films (Slovenia) in co-production with Staragara IT (Italy), 365 Films (Croatia), Non Aligned Films, Nosorogi, and OINK (all Slovenia), with Sister (France) as an associate producer.
Production Companies
SPOK Films (Slovenia)
Staragara IT (Italy)
365 Films (Croatia)
Non Aligned Films (Serbia)
Nosorogi (Slovenia)
OINK (Slovenia)
Sister (France - Associate Producer)
Sales Companies
Heretic Outreach acquired the international sales rights for the film in January 2025.
Distribution Companies
The film has been sold to various territories, including Gustav Film (Slovenia), Tucker Film (Italy), BFI Distribution (UK and Ireland), ASC (France), CineArt (Benelux), Grandfilm (Germany), Filmladen (Austria), Atalante (Spain), No Comboi (Portugal), Artcam Films (Czech Republic and Slovakia), Arthouse Traffic (Ukraine), Andrews Film (Taiwan), and First Distributors (Hong Kong).
Release Date on Streaming
Information about the specific streaming release date is not widely available at this time.
Theatrical Release
"Little Trouble Girls" premiered at the 2025 Berlin International Film Festival in February 2025. It had its GO! 2025 Premiere in Tolmin, Slovenia on March 6, 2025. It has since been released theatrically in Slovenia on March 6, 2025.
Why to Recommend This Movie
Award-Winning Film: Recognized at prestigious film festivals like Berlinale and Les Arcs.
Insightful Exploration of Coming-of-Age and Identity: Deals with universal themes of adolescence and self-discovery.
Strong Performances from Young Actresses: Jara Sofija Ostan and Mina Švajger are praised for their natural talent.
Why to Watch Movie
To Experience a Unique and Sensuous Coming-of-Age Story: The film offers a fresh perspective on familiar tropes.
To See a Film That Navigates Themes of Faith and Desire: Explores the complexities of sexuality within a religious setting.
To Discover a Talented New Director: Urška Djukić's debut feature has garnered significant attention.
What Movie Trend Film is Following
Sexual Awakening Narratives: The film aligns with the trend of stories exploring the complexities of adolescent sexual discovery.
Coming-of-Age in Religious Settings: Similar to films like "Mustang," it examines the challenges of youth within strict religious environments.
What Big Social Trend is Following
Youth Exploring Sexuality and Identity: Reflects the broader social trend of young people navigating their identities and challenging traditional norms around sexuality.
Female Relationships and Solidarity: The film highlights the dynamics and bonds between young women.
Final Verdict
"Little Trouble Girls" is a compelling and sensual coming-of-age drama that thoughtfully explores the complexities of adolescence, sexuality, and faith within a religious setting. With strong performances and a curious and self-assured directorial vision from Urška Djukić, the film offers a fresh and vital perspective on familiar themes.
Recommendations for Film Makers
Explore Universal Themes Through Specific Cultural Contexts: The film effectively uses the setting of a Catholic school in Slovenia to examine broader themes of adolescence.
Trust Young Actors to Convey Complex Emotions: The performances of the lead actresses are central to the film's success.
Find Nuance in Familiar Tropes: Djukić's film imbues coming-of-age elements with exuberance and vitality.
Recommendations for Movie Industry
Support Emerging Female Voices in Cinema: Urška Djukić is a promising new director.
Recognize the Appeal of Coming-of-Age Stories: These narratives often resonate with a wide range of audiences.
Facilitate Distribution for International Independent Films: Films like "Little Trouble Girls" offer valuable perspectives and deserve broader reach.
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