First Feature Competition Special Jury Award

Two childhood friends reconnect in their twenties: one was once the irresistible beauty of the schoolyard; the other was the shy, kind shadow. On a whim, they decide to move in together, and what begins as an impulsive decision soon turns into a luminous adventure of love, desire and discovery. Nights blur into mornings, laughter into intimacy, and new romances unfold with all the excitement of newly found freedom. However, this joyous and spicy celebration of friendship and desire gradually reveals deeper scars, as echoes of a hidden trauma resurface and shift the meaning of every sexual and romantic encounter.

In her debut film, director Hille Norden dares to ask what it means to refuse to be afraid, to reject the label of victim, and to search for freedom while inhabiting a body that is both powerful and vulnerable, desired and endangered. This talented first-time director crafts this journey with a sensual eye, creating lush costumes, lavish art design, and a strong erotic flair that is both flamboyant and deeply unsettling. “Easy Girl” enchants even as it disturbs – a bittersweet ode to youth, friendship, and the fragile strength of being a woman in a world that still all too often sees you as prey.

Malaika Bova