FIRST GIRL I LOVED Directed by Karem Sanga. 86 min, USA
The funny and touching story of Anne Santos, who has decided it’s not worth coming out as a lesbian at her LA public school — until she falls in love with Sasha Basañez, a star athlete even more in the closet than she is.
Winner of the Best of NEXT Audience Award at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, First Girl I Loved is a poignant coming-of-age tale that captures all the anxiety, bravery, and heartbreak of first love. On assignment for her high-school yearbook, social-misfit Anne (Dylan Gelula) charmingly hits it off with the beautiful star of the softball team, Sasha (Brianna Hildebrand). But when Anne tells her best friend Clifton (Mateo Arias) about her new crush, he reveals a hidden jealousy that threatens more than just the girls’ budding romance. Writer/director Kerem Sanga tells this remarkably touching story with a multifaceted style that is as fresh as it is daring. Brimming with authenticity and humor, First Girl I Loved offers a delightful, contemporary perspective on the jitters of new romance and the age-old heartbreak of love.
