The Girls Are Alright (2023) by Itsaso Arana - A Summer Rehearsal As Poetic Communion

Short Summary – Awakenings in an Old Mill

Catchy Title: When Friendship Becomes Performance and Life Blends with ArtSet during a languid summer, five women—four actresses and a playwright—sequester themselves in a rustic mill to rehearse a play. Over a week, as fantasy entwines with reality, they reveal intimate truths about love, loss, friendship, and performance.

Link IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21342370/

Link Review: https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/445671/

About movie: https://btafilms.com/the-girls-are-alright/

Link to watch: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/las-chicas-estan-bien (US), https://www.justwatch.com/fr/film/las-chicas-estan-bien (France)

Detailed Summary – Unscripted Hearts in Sunlit Rehearsal

• Quiet creative sanctuary: The group lives and works together in the countryside, inhabiting both their stage characters and their real selves. Costumes, fairy-tale roles, and make-believe bleed into genuine self-discovery.

• An ensemble revelation: Through shared meals, campfires, letters, and casual conversations, the women exchange confessions that dissolve the boundaries between performance and reality.

• Everyday magic: The film blends gentle humor, pastoral beauty, and the rhythms of rehearsal to reveal small moments of connection that carry lasting weight.

Director’s Vision – A Theater-Infused Cinematic Letter to the Future

• Arana, in her directorial debut, writes, directs, and stars, infusing the film with theatrical intimacy and personal authenticity.

• She treats the film as both a memory and a mirror, capturing spontaneous exchanges alongside scripted moments, creating an organic flow between art and life.

Themes – Friendship, Performance, and Time’s Echo

• Feminine bond as sanctuary: Shows how chosen intimacy—rooted in creative work—becomes transformative.

• Reality and fiction intertwining: The rehearsal process merges with life, allowing the characters’ emotions to surface through their roles.

• Memory and creative kinship: Art acts as a vessel for remembering, reframing, and sharing experiences across time.

Key Success Factors – Subdued Brilliance, Emotional Resonance

• Natural ensemble: Performances by Bárbara Lennie, Irene Escolar, Helena Ezquerro, and Itziar Manero bring lived-in chemistry.

• Visual lyricism: Cinematography captures summer light, rural textures, and intimate spaces as extensions of the characters’ emotions.

• Concise yet layered storytelling: At 85 minutes, the film delivers a complete emotional arc with a light, impressionistic touch.

Awards & Nominations – Critical Acclaim in Spain’s Year of Debuts

Premiered in competition at the 57th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. Nominated for Best New Director at the Goya Awards and for Best Comedy at the Feroz Awards.

Critics Reception – A Softly Spoken Ode to Female Friendship

• ScreenDaily: Called it “beguiling, tactile and intimate,” praising its celebration of femininity.

• Variety: Described it as “short, sweet, winsome,” likening it to warm summer air.

• Cinemanía: Gave it 4/5 stars, calling it “a luminous celebration of female friendship.”

Overall: Critics highlight its sincerity, atmosphere, and emotional subtlety, with praise for Arana’s poised debut.

Reviews – Poetic Ripples Among Critics

• Cineuropa: Applauded its blending of fiction and reality into a moving portrayal of friendship.

• Pragda: Noted its Rohmer-like warmth and reflective pacing.

• AWFJ: Praised its delicate balance of whimsy, honesty, and pastoral beauty.

Overall Summary: A debut that resonates through its quietness and emotional honesty, offering both the intimacy of a

Theatrical Release – From Karlovy Vary to Spanish Screens

Debuted at Karlovy Vary in July 2023, followed by its Spanish theatrical release on 25 August 2023.

Why to Recommend Movie – A Quiet Radiance Worth Watching

• Emotion by whisper, not shout: Builds its meaning through subtle moments rather than dramatic twists.

• Art mirrors life: Uses the act of rehearsal to reveal inner truths.

• A loving debut: Sensitive, precise filmmaking from Itsaso Arana.

• Feminine intimacy in sunlight: A warm, pastoral reflection on creative and emotional bonds.

Movie Trend – Theater-Cinema Hybrids in Intimate Settings

Part of a European wave of dialogue-driven dramas using artistic retreats as stages for emotional exploration.

Social Trend – Celebrating Female Togetherness and Creative Ritual

Reflects growing cinematic interest in portraying women’s shared creative spaces as sites of personal growth and connection.

Final Verdict – A Gentle Retreat That Stays with You

The Girls Are Alright unfolds with the unhurried pace of a summer afternoon, weaving performance and reality into an intimate tapestry. Itsaso Arana’s debut offers a luminous, understated celebration of friendship, memory, and the art of simply being together.