Commencing with a rousing image of homeless girl Tata riding a horse amidst downtown Cairo traffic, director Tahani Rached's documentary THESE GIRLS exudes empathy and respect for its destitute Egyptian teenage subjects' plight, which - though never outright stated, is unmistakably and compellingly implied throughout - is the result of a society in which women are disenfranchised, abused, and oppressed.

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A rousing documentary on the street children of Cairo, THESE GIRLS is an agonizing and uplifting depiction of street survival at its most daunting. With its jaunty style, in keeping with the overpowering child-like energy of the girls themselves, this inspired document is not your typical sour examination of an "important subject." (...) In keeping with Rached's magically powerful approach, the music is also playful and spunky. Credit composer Tamer Karawan for the wise and silly bursts of accordions, woodwinds and tubas; the sounds resonate in perfect sync with the spirits of the young girls.

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Le monde dans lequel nous plonge la documentariste égyptienne Tahani Rached n'a rien de rassurant. (...) L'avenir de ces adolescentes en fuite paraît bien sombre, la cinéaste ne le cache pas. Son film se limite à écouter ces adolescentes, à enregistrer des scènes prises sur le vif, sans trop de commentaires.

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With her mostly female crew, Rached managed to get these girls to relax in ways a male helmer would have found impossible. HD lensing, shot mostly at night, is problem-free, facilitating a casual yet vigorous energy befitting life on the streets. Refusing any hint of sentimentalization, Rached sparingly inserts Tamer Karawan's melodic tunes for a dose of uplift nicely matching the often playful aspects of the girls themselves.

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Tahani Rached revendique comme modèle le cinéma direct québécois, mais c'est l'ombre de MOI, UN NOIR qui plane sur son film: dans CES FILLES-LÀ, une poignée de filles racontent leur vie par bribes, fument, sniffent, cabotinent devant la caméra, vont se faire belles chez le coiffeur (...). Tahani Rached filme leurs actes et leurs propos comme autant d'épiphénomènes, une pure surface qui fait miroiter ses reflets contradictoires tout au long des 68 minutes du film. CES FILLES-LÀ ne se nourrit que de cet écart fragile. Entre dit et non-dit, rudesse des engueulades et tendresse d'un geste de réconfort, (...)

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