While the 2025 Sundance Film Festival is just around the corner, January also brings an opportunity to revisit one of the highlights that made a splash nearly three decades ago, now newly restored. Jim McKay’s feature debut Girls Town, which was written in collaboration with stars Lili Taylor, Bruklin Harris, and Anna Grace, also features an ensemble including Guillermo Diaz, Michael Imperioli, Stephanie Berry, Tom Gilroy, and John Ventimiglia. Newly restored in 4K by nonprofit lab IndieCollect, Film Movement Classics has acquired the film for a North American theatrical release which will begin January 17 at New York City’s IFC Center, followed by a national expansion and digital and home-entertainment debut.
Here’s the synopsis for the film, originally released by October Films: “When high school senior Nikki (Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor) commits suicide, her shocked friends set in search of the reasons why. Their discovery that Nikki had been raped but kept silent about it leads the girls to confront their own personal struggles: Patti (Lili Taylor) has a child with a violent father. Emma (Anna Grace) is also a rape victim. Angela (Bruklin Harris) keeps a secret brewing inside that only her mother knows. And from this time on, their lives will never be the same.”
With an all-female soundtrack featuring Queen Latifah, PJ Harvey, Roxanne Shante, Salt ‘n Pepa, and others, the film was nominated for the Sundance Grand Jury Award in 1996 and would capture the Filmmakers Trophy for McKay and Special Jury Recognition for Collaboration; Lili Taylor would also be recognized for her powerful and unforgettable performance with a Best Actress Award at the Seattle International Film Festival and an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
The 4K restoration by IndieCollect was funded with support from the Golden Globe Foundation (formerly known as the HFPA Trust), Donald A. Pels Charitable Trust, IndieCollect donors, and Fellow Citizen, Inc.
“Girls Town is truly one of the most significant independent films of the ’90s, with script, actors, and soundtrack all coming together to create something indelible for the ages,” said Michael Rosenberg, President, Film Movement. “We’re thrilled to be collaborating with Jim and IndieCollect, which is saving the best of independent cinema for future generations.”
See the exclusive trailer and poster below.
