We love a good coming-of-age movie, so it’s no surprise the indie flick Girlhood has caught our attention. Set in a French suburb, the film follows lead character and teen Marieme as she tries to flee her abusive home by dropping out of school, joining a pack of girlfriends, changing her name and dress code, and engaging in a relationship with an older man.

The film, by third-time director Céline Sciamma, has already won and been nominated for a gaggle of awards (it was screened at Cannes 2014), and has been lauded for its portrayal of an often ignored demographic—young black women—which is a breath of fresh air to many a film-goer.

Overall, the film hinges on the eternal feeling of being a girl on the verge of womanhood—no matter what country she lives in—while at the same time feeling extremely contemporary (Rihanna’s “Diamonds” plays a pivotal role in one scene). Frankly, we think we could all use a modern-day Now and Then.

Girlhood is currently being distributed at limited theaters in the U.S. Check local listings here.