Hayley Kiyoko adapts 'Girls Like Girls' into coming-of-age film
The filmmaker's directorial debut expands her iconic 2015 music video into a 95-minute sapphic drama set in 2006, premiering just in time for Pride season.
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Hayley Kiyoko's feature directorial debut transforms her iconic 2015 music video "Girls Like Girls" into a full-length coming-of-age drama that explores sapphic romance, grief, and self-discovery.
Set in 2006, the 95-minute film follows Coley (Maya Da Costa) and Sonya (Myra Molloy) as they navigate friendship and unexpected romance. Coley has moved to a new town to live with her estranged father following her mother's death. She meets Sonya and a group of other teenagers including Trenton (Levon Hawke), Sonya's boyfriend. In one scene, Sonya writes her phone number on Coley's arm in blue marker. Later, Coley is seen showering with her arm hanging outside the shower, protecting the number from being washed away.
Despite the romantic tension, Coley doesn't reach out—but Sonya appears at her house anyway. Their friendship quickly turns romantic amid long bike rides, lovers' quarrels, drinking in the park, and late-night instant messaging, set against a backdrop of 2006 nostalgia.
Sonya struggles to reconcile her growing feelings for Coley with expectations placed on her by family and friends. She moves through periods of denial and uncertainty, maintaining an on-again, off-again relationship with Trenton while repeatedly pushing Coley away. Her journey reflects the fear, confusion, and self-discovery that often accompany first queer love.
Meanwhile, Coley is navigating her own challenges. Still grieving her mother's death by suicide, she carries a profound sense of loss and displacement, estranged from her father since childhood. Her grief shapes her interactions and her desire for connection and belonging.
While geared toward younger audiences, the film develops complex and emotionally layered characters that make it an enjoyable watch for more mature audiences as well. The story has occupied a special place in lesbian pop culture since the 2015 music video's release, which was turned into a book in 2023 before becoming this feature-length film arriving just in time for Pride.