A Girl’s Story

A Girl’s Story (2026)



Mémoire de fille

8.4 2026 117 min —

Director: Judith Godrèche

Cast: Tess Barthélémy, Valérie Dréville, Victor Bonnel, Ariane Labed, Maïwène Barthélémy

Drama
At a book signing in Normandy, 70-year-old Annie Ernaux is drawn back into the memories of summer 1958, when she was 17. That season, she left her hometown to serve as a camp counsellor. At the very first party, the head counsellor makes it his mission to take her virginity. Finding him handsome, she permits it, as though against her own will. Her body becomes an unfamiliar place—something offered up as a sacrifice.

More About This Film

A Girl's Story follows Annie Ernaux as a journey to her childhood city unexpectedly opens the door to a formative memory from her youth. The story moves between the present and the emotional aftershock of an experience that continued to shape her life long after the original event.

Directed by Judith Godrèche, the film is adapted from Ernaux's literary world while remaining attentive to memory, identity, and the ways personal history resurfaces years later. The result is a reflective drama rooted in the tension between who a person was, who they became, and how the past is remembered.

  • Directed and written by Judith Godrèche.
  • The film is based around the work of Nobel Prize-winning writer Annie Ernaux.
  • It was selected for the Un Certain Regard section of the 2026 Cannes Film Festival.
  • The film was produced in France.
  • The reported running time is 117 minutes.

Where to Watch

Because A Girl's Story is a festival-oriented French drama, its availability is expected to depend heavily on local theatrical and art-house distribution. Check these services for later digital releases.

  • MUBI – subscription where offered
  • ARTE – subscription/free access where offered
  • Apple TV – rental/purchase where offered
  • Google TV – rental/purchase where offered
  • Prime Video – rental/purchase where offered
  • JustWatch – availability search