'Girls Will Be Girls' By Richa Chadha And Ali Fazal Receives Two Nominations At The Independent Spirit Awards

Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal's first film production, "Girls Will Be Girls," has been nominated for two awards at the 40th Independent Spirit Awards. The film is in the running for the John Cassavetes Award and Best Supporting Performance for Kani Kusruti. Directed by Shuchi Talati, it tells the story of a 16-year-old girl named Mira, played by Preeti Panigrahi, whose rebellious journey is intertwined with her mother's unfulfilled experiences.

The film is among five nominees for the John Cassavetes Award, which honours films made with a budget under USD 1 million. Other contenders include "Big Boys," "Ghostlight," "Jazzy," and "The People's Joker." Kusruti, known for her role in the Golden Globe-nominated "All We Imagine As Light," is nominated alongside actors like Yura Borisov and Karren Karagulian for "Anora" and Joan Chen for "Dìdi."

Chadha expressed immense pride in the film's achievements. She stated, "To be nominated for the John Cassavetes Award, which celebrates independent filmmaking at its finest, is truly an honour." Her husband Fazal described it as a "dual celebration" for their team. He highlighted that independent cinema often struggles but this recognition shows there's room for diverse stories.

"Girls Will Be Girls" premiered globally at the Sundance Film Festival where it won two awards in August. It also received multiple accolades at MAMI recently. The film will be available on Prime Video starting December 18. The Independent Spirit Awards 2025 will occur on February 22 in Santa Monica, California, supporting independent filmmakers worldwide.

Fazal praised Kani's performance as transformative and deserving of her nomination. He emphasized that "'Girls Will Be Girls' is a case study in how co-productions can be made for a global audience, with an Indian story at its heart." This recognition underscores the potential of Indian stories to resonate globally.