Girl

At the cusp of adolescence, Lara, a gifted dancer, enters a top level ballet conservatory where every rehearsal is a test of precision and poise. Behind the polished studio doors she wrestles with gender dysphoria, a private truth that clashes with the rigid expectations of classical ballet. The film follows her daily routines, the strain of auditions, and the slow, careful negotiation of identity with friends such as Mathias and Milo, while a supervising doctor and the school’s rules press her toward conformity. Dhont threads intimate, unvarnished moments with the glare of the stage, showing how art and body intersect when a young person refuses to hide who she is. Her courage is tested when the stage demands a perfect illusion.

Directed by Lukas Dhont with a script by Dhont and Angelo Tijssens, Girl is a Belgian drama released in 2018. It marks Dhont's feature debut and features Victor Polster as Lara alongside Arieh Worthalter, Oliver Bodart and Katelijne Damen. The film uses naturalistic performances, a restrained color palette and long takes that isolate Lara's inner life.

Girl drew praise on the festival circuit and earned major recognition, including the Caméra d’Or at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival, honoring Dhont's debut feature. The film also highlighted Victor Polster's restrained performance, earning attention for its sensitive portrayal of a transgender teenager. The reception helped ignite discussion about authentic trans representations in cinema.

Beyond the screen, Girl sparked conversations about gender identity in art and the pressures of elite ballet culture. It contributed to broader debates on trans representation in cinema, inviting audiences to see Lara's experience as about human dignity and artistic truth. The conversation continues as new filmmakers explore similar terrain.

Critics praised Dhont's quiet, precise direction and Polster's performance, though some noted the film's unflinching focus on one teenager's ordeal. The themes center on self realization, the conflict between ambition and belonging, and the moment of choosing how to present one's self to the world. Its ending hints at resilience without neat closure.