“I can’t stay little all my life,” shrugs one of the girls growing into a young woman before the camera’s eye in GOING ON 13. Ariana, Esmeralda, Isha and Rosie are 9-year-old girls living in Oakland, California, who allow Kristy Guevara-Flanagan and Dawn Valadez to document their growing pains. Throughout, the girls speak directly to the camera with comfort and trust, resulting in a film that is remarkable in its honesty and energy.

At the start of the film, the girls play freely, confidently enjoying sleepover parties and family events. But as they age, the lessons they are taught create internal and external conflict.  The tomboy, Ariana, fights against submissive girlishness, while Esmeralda embraces purses, make-up and tight-fitting clothes. Isha’s conservative mother makes her wear youthful braids and imposes restrictions that embarrass and constrain her. Rosie reads voraciously but risks failing in school, which she rarely attends. Their diverse experiences illustrate the mixed messages that young people must navigate as they become adults and lose their innocence.

Guevara-Flanagan has made a career of producing and directing films that reflect the under-represented perspectives of young girls of color.  Valadez is a respected Chicana feminist who has worked for 20 years building media with youth. The filmmakers’ respect and understanding for their subjects allows the young girls to be comfortable on camera, allowing the viewer to witness an authentic experience of growing up as a mdern California girl.


—Giovanna Chesler