by William Newbery
Big Girls Don’t Cry from Paloma Schneideman is a film whose greatest achievements is not in its plot, or in a moment of catharsis, or even in its romances but instead its great power lay in its uncanny ability to create moments as memories.
Showing us these precious treasures in time that we in our own lives have, these moments that are never simple, moments that are usually hard to explain the personal weight of. Those delicate moments which are usually reserved for the ears of a lover after a night of drinking and giggling, reserved for those times you can truly let your guard down.
Big Girls Don’t Cry manages to put you inside these tender memories, making them feel so personal that they almost become your own. Never shying away from the messy and painful truths of love, sex, teenagehood and of being ashamed to simply be you.
This film has no message to tell, nor does it wish to paint an image of teenagehood as a time built out of colourful romances or oppressive tragedies.
Instead all this film wishes to do is take your hand and let you experience these moments warts and all, letting you lead with empathy not genre. As a debut feature the restraint, intelligence and emotional understanding on display is not only brilliant but memorising.
Big Girls Don’t Cry
Queer Screen Film Festival 2026