We spoke to Director Adura Onashile on opening the Glasgow Film Festival with her debut feature Girl

Glasgow Film Festival 2023 is underway, launched by Adura Onashile’s debut feature, Girl. This event is particularly significant because Onashile’s work is the first opening performance to be shot in the city in the festival’s history.

Onashile stepped onto the red carpet smiling ear-to-ear, hand-in-hand with her mother whose pride was blatantly infectious. A fitting introduction as the film - a coming of age tale exploring the love and trauma between a single mother and her pre-teen daughter - was very much inspired by her own experience of this kind of relationship.

I managed to pull the director over for a quick chat. Amid the chaos, she seemed happy, visibly excited, overwhelmed maybe but she looked to be enjoying the moments.

“It was always a Glasgow story,” she told me.

“I live in Glasgow, I know it really well. Some of these characters they belong in Glasgow.”

Onashile was born and raised in London before coming to Scotland 12 years ago. She fell in love with Glasgow, and while she had no prior intentions to leave the place she called home, the energy of the city, the people and the arts community pulled her in and she never left.

“I’m not really a hippie but I felt like there was some spiritual connection.”

I also spoke to Le’Shantey Bonsu who plays the younger protagonist, Ama. This was Bonsu’s first film and she was looking forward to seeing herself on screen.

Speaking with an air of wisdom and professionalism - notable characteristics considering her young age - she said she connected with the character.

“Ama’s a very out person and she has a very close relationship with her mother, like I do.

“She’s in this new environment and she’s finding it a bit difficult, but she’s trying her hardest to fit in.”

Bonsu is confident, calm and collected in her ambitions. She wants to utilise her breakthrough in the industry and is eager for more acting opportunity. I don’t doubt she will achieve this.