B\'ella

A coming of age story about Bella, a 17-year old Malawian girl. Bella wrestles with intersections of traditional life and the new role of girls in modern day Malawi, artfully juggling her various roles of daughter, sister, student, advocate and a girl who just wants to grow up. The film displays a plethora of dramatics and emotional charges expected of adolescents. The film is about true friendships, unrequited romances, school bullying, the desire to be modern, teacher-student relationships and how these impact both the students and the teachers, peer pressure, the impact of stigma and discrimination that comes with HIV/AIDS, the plight of child headed families, and how strong-mindedness and the desire to do right will always prevail.