SMHAF Film Club: Girl (2023)

Join the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival (SMHAF) for a welcoming monthly film club at The Nook.

Taking place on the first Thursday of each month, these events offer the chance to watch a film together, followed by a relaxed conversation over tea and coffee.

Girl is our film for September. This Glasgow-set drama explores the relationship between an immigrant woman and her 11-year-old daughter, who starts to embrace a life outside the small flat she has grown up in.

SMHAF is an annual celebration of the arts and mental health across Scotland, led by the Mental Health Foundation. It aims to provide a platform for everyone to create and share art inspired by mental health. This year, it takes place from 19 October to 8 November 2026, exploring the theme of Reflections. To find out more, visit www.mhfestival.com.

The film club at The Nook is supported by Film Hub Scotland, part of the BFI’s Film Audience Network, awarding funding on behalf of Screen Scotland and the BFI National Lottery. Thanks to barry crerar for supporting this screening.

More About the Film

Girl

d. Adura Onashile (UK, 2023) 87m

Mother and daughter Grace and Ama have established a deep bond that’s protected them from outsiders, but as they try to settle in Glasgow, things begin to change. Ama’s approaching adolescence and growing curiosity set off reminders of a past that Grace has been trying to erase. The comforting fairytale-like story that Grace has been telling Ama for years is shaken by the memories — their sheltered world begins to erode from the inside. To give them both a chance to really start living, Grace has to let Ama grow up.

Themes & Content

This film is accessible for all but particularly relevant for people with an interest in financial insecurity, housing issues, migration, parenting, teenage mental health, and trauma. It contains themes of flashbacks, panic attacks, and implied sexual violence.