The popular phrase "Out of sight, out of mind" expresses the indifference of most Americans toward young offenders serving time in juvenile facilities. Make sure to answer each of the questions as thoroughly as possible. In her commentary on the film, available on the DVD, Garbus admits to being struck by Shanaes intelligence and cutesiness (she was wearing pigtails at the time) and then shocked to discover that Shanae was locked up for murder! Second, she is distressed when her mother leaves. Abruptly, she halted the conversation. a. Shanae is in the juvenile facility for stabbing a friend to death in a fight. Additionally, she still struggles after growing up, but she ensures that she never becomes an addict (Garbus, 2003). The film, however, makes Shanae and Megans girlhoods into victory stories when, instead, they are something much more complex. Life on the streets in a community where drugs are readily available offers her plenty of opportunities to repeat the same mistakes. Copyright 2006 - 2023 by CIStems, Inc., d.b.a. Its no wonder. murdering another girl after the two got into an argument. She specializes in academic writing, copywriting, business plans and resumes. Third, Shanae becomes emotionally expressive. Megan is not malicious, and her mischief is probably a cry for attention. Shanae had to go to a lower security facility before her mother was convinced that she was rehabilitated. The first example is how wary she is of strangers (Eysenck, 2015). At one point, Megan states that she feels that she is an old woman trapped in a young womans body because she has so much to regret. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. He also states that although many of the girls leave Waxter and go on to live lives free of crime, others lives deteriorate when they get back home because of the dangers and tempations of life in their often crime-filled neighbourhoods (remember most of the inmates at Waxler are coming from Baltimore!). I was just doing anything to kill myself, honestly," she says. Liz Garbus's hard-headed documentary film ''Girlhood'' is prefaced with an unsettling statistic: in the last decade the number of violent assaults by under-age girls in this country has doubled. One of the most educational parts of the film I felt was the example set by Antoinette. I dont think its a right-wing conclusion to say that everyone needs family and that strong families raise strong, healthy, happy children who can grow up to be adults who can contribute positively to our society. That roster includes ''The Farm: Angola, U.S.A,'' an acclaimed film about the largest maximum-security prison in the United States, and ''The Execution of Wanda Jean,'' a sympathetic portrait of the first black woman executed in America in the last 50 years. We now have the best team of essay writers in the world. The girls as well as their moms were open and seemed to not hold back their emotions for the camera, with Megan a virtual basket case of excitability and the childish Shanae changing for the better as she matures. Director Liz Garbus See production, box office & company info Search on Amazon search for Blu-ray and DVD Add to Watchlist Added by 1.8K users 8 User reviews By end fil There are a number of reasons for why Shanae was able to turn her life around whereas Megan was not. The film opens with the title card, In the United States, during the last decade, the number of young girls committing violent crimes has more than doubled. Your email address will not be published. Film Review by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat Press ESC to cancel. The film will center on two prisoners serving. In the beginning, Shanae is not remorseful for committing murder (Garbus, 2003). Girlhood (2003) - Plot Summary - IMDb Megan professes a love for her absentee and irresponsible mother, but does not receive the same support that Shanae gets from her more caring mom. 2023 BuzzFeed, Inc. All rights reserved. At 17, she was living in her own apartment in a druggie neighborhood. Megan's mother was a drug-addled prostitute, and after being placed in, and escaping from, nearly a dozen foster homes, Megan committed a violent crime. A riveting documentary about two young offenders serving time in a Baltimore juvenile facility and their struggles over a three-year period to forge a new life for themselves against formidable odds. 'Girlhood' compelling and frustrating, too - Baltimore Sun You'll get a detailed solution from a subject matter expert that helps you learn core concepts. http://articles.latimes.com/2003/nov/14/entertainment/et-girlhood14, http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1514431. What factors do you think played a part in . The juvenile justice system serves her well, because she's deeply involved in forging her own path. A narrative feature based on the two subjects of Liz Garbus' 2003 documentary "Girlhood," young female inmates Shanae Watkins and Megan Stahl, is in the works. On Not Rejecting Girlhood: A Conversation with Megan Milks and Marisa Crawford. Garbus in her commentary points out that Shanae does not believe that the gang rape should be seen as some sort of excuse for her murdering her friend. At first, Shanae shows no remorse over killing another human being, but gradually she takes a hard look at what she did and is sorry. FILM REVIEW; A Documentary Illuminates Young Lives at the Crossroads of The protagonists are Shanae Owens and Megan Jensen. Megan, a pretty girl with a devilish gleam in her eye, tries to get by on charm, but she doesn't have Shanae's focus. In the movie, we were able to watch two female offenders in the juvenile justice system. Documentary chronicling America's justice system. Directed by Liz Garbus; director of photography, Tony Hardmon; edited by Mary Manhardt; music by Theodore Shapiro; produced by Ms. Garbus and Rory Kennedy; released by Wellspring. Girlhood (2003) Documentary - YouTube She responded by drinking and drugging, and then at age 12, graduated to murder. Abandoned by her mother, a heroin addict turned prostitute, Megan ran away from then different foster homes before being arrested on assault charges. ESSAY WRITING SERVICE SAMPLE: LANGUAGE ACQUISITION, ESSAY WRITING SAMPLE: CORNING INC. COMPANY PROFILE CASE STUDY, RESEARCH PAPER ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY: THE ISRAEL-PALESTINE CONFLICT, How realism, a theory of International Relations, can apply to Foreign Policy, SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY: GIRLHOOD MOVIE REVIEW. Her future appears shaky. Megan admits that when she leaves Waxter she will only be going back to another foster home. Be sure to answer all parts to each question. It is also quite clear that the staff at Waxter have a special affection for her despite her antics. Documentary chronicling America's justice system. This problem has been solved! We have already learned that starting at the age of 10, Shanae began drinking alcohol heavily, was running away from home and having unprotected sex. This confused young girl ran away from ten foster homes and wound up attacking another . AQA Psychology: AS and A-level Year 1. Footage of the two girls is then followed along with more title cards that give insight into the crimes they have committed. After Megan and her mother have falling out and are no longer speaking, the film again shifts focus to Shanae, who has now just lost her mother to heart failure. Garbus encountered the girls at the Waxter Juvenile Facility in Baltimore while making a television documentary about the boys incarcerated there. Shanae, on the other hand, received strong support and had to follow strict rules her 32-year-old diabetic mom insisted upon, so that when she was released to her home she had someone to lean on for support. "I didn't know how to love anybody or to depend on people because I never had anyone stable enough in my life to actually show me that kind of love and compassion.". Early in the film it is apparent that Shanae doesnt really feel remorseful for the murder of her friend. New York: Psychology Press. The Girlhood documentary highlights the plight of girls in juvenile centers with some psychological disorders. While Shanae told her own story -- murdering another girl after the two got into an argument -- and shared remorse for her violent actions, Megan seemed much more guarded. The disrupted attachment led to a paradoxical relationship with the caregivers in Waxter (Shaffer & Kipp, 2010). The documentary, indeed, treats girlhood as its subject a phase of life distinct from womanhood, childhood or any other experience. Does 'Girlhood' do justice to its subject? - Los Angeles Times EDPY 303.005 Dr. Armstrong 08 May 2018 Girlhood (2003) Documentary Introduction: The topics presented in this paper include the effects of trauma on two young girls and their incarceration after committing violent assaults. That is not to say that traumatic experience, crime or drug abuse are good, but that in these stories they exist and persist, even when the girls triumph and go to prom or spend time with family. She demonstrates that you can support and love your child while not making excuses for them. In the film Girlhood by Liz Garbus we are introduced to two young girl's named Megan and Shanae, who committed a crime and are getting help through a facility that helps young girls reflect on their actions. In the documentary "Girlhood, " the two main characters Shanae The second part of Garbus film follows Shanae and Megans lives after leaving Waxter. Megan, after a failed escape attempt from Waxter, goes into another foster home. Shanae was reintegrated well by her . And now I'm doing this film about a little girl, and in many ways she's a precursor to Megan. Megan also leaves Waxter. As the film progresses we see Shanae go from feeling very little remorse or even understanding of the consequences of her violent actions, to feeling real remorse and a sense of responsiblity. I think this is key to Shanaes eventual success. Even though her parent is giving her support, she was still scared of Shanae. She portrays this by her apprehensive response that she gives to her parent. Girlhood Movie Analysis - 1103 Words | Bartleby Once Shanae begins to face the reality of what she did, she is transferred to a group home and begins to flourish. The film is told from the girls subjective viewpoint and plays as a coming of age story. At twelve years old Shanae was involved in a fight that ended with Shanae stabbing and killing a young girl. This paradoxical relationship with her parent is evident (Brody & Dwyer, 2016). Well, its also said to be on the increase here in Canada. She is briefly reunited with her mother but cannot forgive her for not being there when she needed her most. girlhood documentary - Next Step Online Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. This led to a pregnancy at the age of 11 which her mother arranged for her to have terminated because it was feared that because of Shanaes heavy-drinking the baby would have fetal alcohol syndrome. But Megan seemed like a lost cause as her pleas for love go unanswered and her unchanged bad behavior goes unchecked, as she gets into a verbal spat with mom and splits. Megan is 16 and is in Waxter for Assault with a deadly weapon. Liz Garbus, who was nominated for an Academy Award in 1999 for The Farm: Angola, USA, shoots in her latest an unflinching cinema verite documentary about two teenager girls who committed violent crimes and are now incarcerated at Marylands Waxter Juvenile Facility. Megan had given up, and even ended up back in jail. Miriam Kruishoop ( Greencard Warriors) has signed on to write and direct Hood Girls, a narrative feature based on the life stories of the two subjects of Liz Garbus ' 2003 documentary Girlhood . The extent of Garbus access to the girls while in detention is remarkable (she states that she eventually had keys to the inside of the Waxter facility because the staff got tired of her and her crews constant requests to get into different rooms). Shanae is a plump black girl who mentions she lost her virginity in the Baltimore projects when she was 10, was raped by 5 boys at 11, and did drugs in her adolescent years as she hung out with the wrong friends. Girlhood gives us a glimpse into the lives of two troubled young women who desperately try to forge a new life for themselves against formidable odds. REVIEW: GIRLHOOD Documentary On Netflix - WordPress.com No matter how optimistic I am, when I am reaching out to young women, I need to understand different backgrounds. Shanae even overcomes the death of her mom three months later from a heart attack and goes on to graduate from a public high school and enroll in a community college. Unlike Megan, who ends up bitter, Shanae has a positive outlook that things will become better. The film leaves us with a final mystery about human development. At 14, she was hit by a stray bullet during a gunfight. As Oprah questioned Megan about her current situation and plans for the future, the teen grew visibly agitated. Strength-Based Approaches Finally, she becomes distraught when her relationship with her mother ends. Even though there is an intense argument, after she tells her mother never to talk to her again, she has a nervous breakdown (Garbus, 2003). To think that one out of two might have straightened out her life, is not saying that the system works. Female Teenage BFF Inmates From Liz Garbus' Doc 'Girlhood' to Get Movie This paper provides a social psychological review of Megan and Shanae from an ecological point of view as well as an attachment perspective. Girl Hood is a documentary film directed and produced by Liz Garbus that follows two teenage girls, Shanae and Megan, over the span of three years, from the time they are in the all-girls juvenile detention center at Thomas J.S Waxter Childrens Center in Laurel, Maryland, to when they are out in the real world. This is the latest feature-length non-fiction film from documentarian Liz Garbus, who has spotlighted imprisonment in 2002's "The Execution of Wanda June" and the 1998 Oscar-nominee "The Farm: Angola USA." As with those two films, "Girlhood" looks at the incarceration of violent-crime offenders. The film pivots from the girls to their relationships with their moms, as Garbus follows their development from girls into young ladies. Girlhood Worksheet Please complete this worksheet based on the film Girlhood. The documentary follows the plight of Megan and Shanae (Garbus, 2003). As she grows up, she realizes that she cannot rely on anyone and starts to take better care or herself. Shanae, an African-American who has been at Waxter for two years when the film begins, was sent there after stabbing a girl to death in a knife fight. The system essentially gives up on trying to control her and turns her loose to fend for herself. Both girls are likable, smart young women struggling to overcome traumatic backgrounds. Documentary chronicling America's justice system. I dont think girls are really less aggressive than boys, nor do I think we should somehow pathologize aggressive and violent behaviour by girls but see it as a given among boys. Is it maternal nurturing that makes the difference? Spirituality & Practice. http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/girlhood By Kate Durbin 07/14/2021. In the end, it seems the title Girlhood is both revealing and a misnomer: this film is about the liminal space of girlhoods colored by destabilizing events in their lives (and the larger systems and circumstances dictated by a society that easily discards the humanity of girls, people of color, queer people, differently abled people and poor people). Today, the Baltimore native is living in North Carolina and acknowledges that she wasn't in a good place during her "Oprah Show" appearance. Shaffer, D. R., & Kipp, K. (2010). Garbus remarks that the structure within Waxter allows the girls to actually be girls. The family situation takes over as more important than the help they received through the criminal justice system. So what will be the fate of Shanae and Megan when they leave Waxter? Step-by-step explanation. Sometimes, it is members of our own families that expose our children to drugs and alcohol, something I have often seen growing up in my own neighbourhood. It is during Shanaes interview to get into the lower security facility that we learn that she was also gang raped by five men. But Vernessa quickly reverts to her old ways, and the scenes of Megan viciously berating her mother for her failures are painful to watch. This documentary really touched me and made me so much more grateful for my environment and support. Developmental Psychology: Childhood & Adolescence: Childhood and Adolescence. Most of these reasons were actually some of the primary themes in Liz Garbus' documentary Girlhood, which followes the lives of these young women for three years from the . Miriam has proven to have an incredibly strong voice when it comes to tackling tough, timely and complex stories that often take place in urban settings but resonate far and wide, Fawcett said. [Need anessay writing service? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Megan is doing great for herself ''Girlhood'' is the newest entry in Ms. Garbus's long list of socially concerned documentaries made for theaters and television. Megan grew up without the love and support of her mother who was in prison for drugs and prostitution. She was there as a member of the community and Shanae was a child of the community and therefore her child. Shanae, after much perseverance, overcoming her appalling behaviours and graduate from high school. An Ijaw Story: JOURNEY TO THE PRESENCE OF WOYINGI, Africas 100 Best Books of the 20th Century, African Regional Links: Central/Middle Africa, Literature from the Black African Diaspora, Documentary Review: girlhood by Liz Garbus, Countries: Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Black Canadians of Afro-Caribbean Descent. Required fields are marked *, College Essay Examples | October 19, 2018. The girls have traumatic experiences that affect their relationship with others. That was 11 years ago. Throughout the film, we are sympathetic to the challenges of Shanae and Megans girlhoods, but cannot substantively grasp, through the documentary, the unresolved nature of their status, as girls in a system that seeks to destroy not just girlhood, but life beyond girlhood too. Volatile, articulate and desperately needy, Megan seethes with bitterness at having been abandoned by her mother, Vernessa, a heroin addict and prostitute, who has spent many years in prison. Shanaes development has been disrupted. Garbus followed Shanaes suggestion and was determined to include her in her film. The documentary Girlhood offers an insight on the emotional, psychological, and social reasoning behind the girl's actions. ET on OWN. The lack of a proper support system is evident because she does not achieve as much as Shanae who does not falter when her mother dies. This presumption is damaging because ultimately Garbus makes uncomplicated subjects of the girls. Furthermore, at the end of the documentary, she enrolls in a community college nearby. Unfortunately, this meant that she wasnt around to supervise Shanae. "Excuse me," she said. Her cousin has to console her. She has a total of two children and she has graduated from college. Girlhood | Film Review | Spirituality & Practice She is a very smart girl who rejoices when given a chance to move on to another facility and then return home to her father and mother. The relationship between staff and the young women at Waxter is for the most part warm and friendly. "I was really, really, really confused at the time," Megan says. Running time: 88 minutes. At one point she tells her parents that the girl she murdered actually has it easy because shes just dead whereas Shanae is suffering because she is in detention. Girl Hood was released in 2003 and since then has won many awards. SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY: 'GIRLHOOD' MOVIE REVIEW - Blog My Essay Writer Last night I watched a documentary called, GIRLHOOD based on two young girls in the Baltimore juvenile detention center, Waxter. Volatile, articulate and desperately needy, Megan seethes with bitterness at having been abandoned by her mother, Vernessa, a heroin addict and prostitute, who has spent many years in prison. But one is left wondering how this silly girl took it upon herself to attack another young woman with a box cutter (the main reason why she is locked up). Just last week Waxter made headline news in Maryland after having been labeled by one childrens rights advocate as a house of horrors. At Waxter, girls like Shanae who have been sentenced for crimes, girls who would make mincemeat of the fillies in Thirteen, are placed alongside those who, as one news story put it, have not been found guilty of anything yet. Except, perhaps, being born poor and grievously disadvantaged. I believe that you cant examine this increasing youth crime problem among girls without studying how the capitalist system effects social conditions. recently followed up with Megan to see what had happened after the show. Shanae started drinking with her cousin. Girlhood Directed by Liz Garbus A riveting documentary about two young offenders serving time in a Baltimore juvenile facility and their struggles over a three-year period to forge a new life for themselves against formidable odds. The number of girls incarcerated for violent crimes is on the rise. Question: In the documentary "Girlhood, " the two main characters Shanae and Megan had two very different reintegration experiences after being placed in a detention center. Follows two female inmates - victims of horrific violence and tragedy - who are serving time in a Maryland juvenile detention center. Feb 26th, 2022 Published. FILM REVIEW; A Documentary Illuminates Young Lives at the Crossroads of Redemption and Devastation, https://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/29/movies/film-review-documentary-illuminates-young-lives-crossroads-redemption.html. "I am halfway through my Associates in Arts degree. This time around, she focuses her attention on two young women in Waxter Juvenile Facility near Baltimore, Maryland. Challenging Attachment She is often well behaved, but she still shows bouts of mischief. Megan, we are told, has been in 11 foster houses by the age of 16. One may wonder how Antoinette could be a good parent considering all the trouble Shanae got into at such a young age. Thankfully, her parents point out that being dead is definitely WORSE than being in detention! Girlhood Essay | Bartleby Once Shanae begins to face the reality of what she did, she is transferred to a group home and begins to flourish. Liz Garbus made The Farm: Angola, USA in 1998, a riveting documentary about six men in a Louisiana penitentiary; it was nominated for an Academy Award. Megan flounders around for a while and is eventually sent to another foster home, which doesn't work out. Megan, the more unruly of the two is a little older than Shanae. One perspective on the film Girl Hood is that it is a highly informative documentary film in which the director does a spectacular job revealing to the world the issues young women such as Megan and Shanae face on a daily basis. Gender Roles In The Film Girlhood - 623 Words | Bartleby With its drab green walls and sparse furnishings, Waxter is no country club. Her anger keeps her going. Oprah later told her she was the first person she had interviewed who had ever walked out on her. Shanae Owens and Megan Jensen in girlhood. How A Violent Teen Who Had Given Up On Life Turned It All Around When she originally returned to Baltimore, Megan's life went downhill. Shanae was ten years old when she was gang-raped by five boys. The film left me with mixed feelings about the girls who crave love but seem so self-absorbed that they show so little concern for anyone else not in their radar, as I questioned what kind of punishment should there be for girls who commit violent crimes. What happened to Megan Jensen from the girlhood documentary? The films protagonists, Megan Jensen and Shanae Watkins. The third is her reluctance to become close with others. In contrast to Shanae, who has a great deal of family love and support, Megan only receives letters from her mother sporadically, and in one scene in the film desperately wants to call her grandmother to see if she is going to visit her. So the question is to what degree do we all have to support children whose families cant? This documentary does look at the intersections of various identities and even struggles, but it fails to count them as essential facets of girlhood for Shanae and Megan. Your email address will not be published. By age 10, she had been committed to two psychiatric hospitals and diagnosed as manic-depressive. The title Girlhood splits in two on the opening credits, with "girl" and "hood" on separate lines. Inside, she is desperately frightened of becoming just like her. Girlhood Directed by Liz Garbus Documentary, Crime Not Rated 1h 22m By Stephen Holden Oct. 29, 2003 Liz Garbus's hard-headed documentary film ''Girlhood'' is prefaced with an unsettling. However, the film ignores their concerns regarding the young girls and regarding the system. Their stories are depicted in the 2003 documentary Girlhood. But in [Garbus] attempt to give their lives a shape that the girls themselves seem to resist, this talented filmmaker has done both herself and them a disservice.. This leads to her eventual rehabilitation from delinquency. [Write my essay for me? Get help here.]. However, after the collective effort from her mother and rehabilitation officers, she becomes emotionally expressive. Our company is proud to host more than 80 of North Americas best essay writers. She's Got Moxie: Liz Garbus on "Girlhood" and Lives - IndieWire Begin typing your search term above and press enter to search. This comment is echoed by Mr. Godsey, a staff at the facility, who states in the film that although the girls dont like structure they need it because they havent had it at home. A Conversation with Megan Milks and Marisa Crawford - BLARB http://sites.google.com/view/ehdwjwbxfu/linkedlist-member-modification-c, Your email address will not be published. MPAA rating: Unrated. This difference in their experiences seems to be related to their familial relationships. Ecological Framework girlhood tells the story of Shanae Owensand Megan Jensen. At the opening of the film girlhood by Liz Garbus, viewers are informed that the rates of young girls being charged with violent crimes is on the increase in the United States. Documentary Review: girlhood by Liz Garbus | The Woyingi Blog As a left-wing filmmaker, she worried that this appeared to be some sort of right-wing Family Values advocate conclusion. http://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-nov-14-et-girlhood14-story.html, http://www.nytimes.com/2003/10/29/movies/film-review-documentary-illuminates-young-lives-crossroads-redemption.html, http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/girlhood-subjects-get-narrative-feature-829762, http://sites.google.com/view/ehdwjwbxfu/linkedlist-member-modification-c, this dissertation provides a compelling argument.