Filmmaker Spotlight: Sammi Cohen
By Morgan Roberts
Sammi Cohen is a director and writer best known for their Netflix film, “You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah.” Prior to their directing career, Cohen worked as an editor and VFX supervisor on national commercials and music videos for artists such as Haim, Taylor Swift, and Katy Perry. After a host of commercials, television shows, and short films, Cohen made their feature debut with the 2022 film, “Crush” starring Rowan Blanchard and Auli’i Cravalho. Cohen’s second feature was “You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah” which is an adaptation of the Fiona Rosenbloom book of the same name. Cohen’s work often focuses on young women, capturing their coming-of-age stories in a refreshingly human way. In both of their films, Cohen is able to capture girlhood in all of its sincere, absurd, and isolating ways. Cohen frames their protagonists in a compassionate light, when, so often, girls’ stories are trivialized. Cohen captures the magic and the thorniness of growing up that I, personally, rarely see in coming-of-age films. So, let us dive into Cohen’s films and how they explore girlhood.
Crush (2022)
“Crush,” written by Kirsten King and Casey Rackham, follows Paige (Rowan Blanchard), a high school student who has a passion for art and hopes to study at a summer program at CalArts. As she struggles with the application prompt, Paige’s semester is further complicated when the school administration believes she is ‘KingPun,’ an anonymous artists who vandalizes the school in pun-based graffiti. To avoid suspension, she agrees tot join the track team in order for the coach to keep an eye on her while she also investigates who the real KingPun is. Joining the track team also brings Paige closer to her long-time crush on popular student Gabby (Isabella Ferreira); her time with Gabby is cut short as Gabby’s younger sister, AJ (Auli’i Cravalho) is tasked with coaching Paige.
Rowan Blanchard in “Crush” (2022) | Hulu
Where “Crush” differs from many queer coming-of-age films is that our main character’s sexual orientation is not the source of conflict. While coming out can still very much be a difficult journey, it is also heartening to see queer stories outside of that experience. Paige could still face rejection if Gabby does not feel the same way as Paige, but Paige luckily has a really strong support system. Her single mother, Angie (Megan Mullally) is exceedingly open, rivaling Mrs. George in “Mean Girls” (2004) for her openness bordering on enmeshment - though, Angie’s interest and involvement comes from a much better place. Paige’s best friend, Dillon (Tyler Alvarez) and his girlfriend Stacey (Tesla Dunn) frequently provide emotional support. It is mind-boggling how revolutionary is feels to see a teenage girl’s queerness embraced this way, but it demonstrates how necessary it is to see this reflection in cinema. Growing up is hard, but there are still moments of joy. Cohen never strays away from that core truth, and the way they film the movie itself demonstrates that. The film is vibrant, lively.
And that life that is breathed into the film is critical for the rom com elements. High school rom coms are tough. They are two very distinct sub-genres and Cohen strikes the right balance to have one play into the other. It doesn’t hurt that Blanchard and Cravalho are fantastic together; endlessly charming, the pair have great chemistry. And as Paige and AJ grow closer, it is easy to see why they would fall for one another. They feel very effortless together, and Cohen evokes these really wonderful performances from their actors. Aiding these performances are the ways in which Cohen frames the female characters in the film. For instance, with Gabby, who Paige does have a crush on, the audience sees Gabby similarly to Paige. Gabby is the someone who Paige finds attractive, and we get to see that without the objectification of the character. When we talk about the gaze of the filmmaker, Cohen’s viewpoint adds a dignity and authenticity to that framing. In other coming-of-age stories, largely directed by men, the audience gets more of a sense that we are ogling at the main love interest in a story. Here, Cohen elevates the genre by having attraction and respect ground those moments. Even later on in the ‘Seven Minutes in Heaven’ scene, takes a delicate approach to add real thoughtfulness to that moment.
Rowan Blanchard and Auli’i Cravalho in “Crush” (2022) | Hulu
“Crush” is a refreshing take on not just coming-of-age, but queer stories for adolescents. It is a film that evokes such joy without minimizing or trivializing the stakes the characters face. It allows for the romance of the film to feel natural and alluring without objectifying the characters. All of the characters feel like real teenagers who are navigating the messiness that comes with love and attraction and finding ourselves.
You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah (2023)
Written by Alison Peck, “You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah” follows Stacy (Sunny Sandler) as she prepares for her upcoming bat mitzvah, clashing with her parents Bree (Idina Menzel) and Danny (Adam Sandler) as she fights for her perfect party. Meanwhile, Stacy and her best friend Lydia (Samantha Lorraine) head to a popular girl’s house for a party. After a stunt to impress a boy goes terribly wrong, Stacy is hurt Lydia joined in laughing at Stacy’s embarrassing moment. To make matters worse, shortly thereafter Lydia begins dating Andy (Dylan Hoffman), who Stacy knowingly has a crush on, causing the best friends to have a falling out.
Adam Sandler, Idina Menzel, Zaara Kuttemperoor, Sadie Sandler, Samantha Lorraine, and Sunny Sandler in “You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah” (2023) | Netflix
“You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah” truly captures the growing pains of adolescence. Much like Sofia Coppola, Cohen has a keen eye for understanding female loneliness. The film has a lot of joy. The party sequences are exhilarating, and beautifully shot. You get to experience the excitement of these children as they enter this new stage of their lives. Nevertheless, there is also a lot of change that happens at that time. Cohen remains focuses on these two big extremes.
Moreover, the film has one of my personal favorite shots in a film from 2023. In the scene, Stacy is at a party, sulking as she feels so removed from her friends. Cohen frames Stacy in the foreground, as partygoers are celebrating and dancing behind her. It is the perfect capturing of how lonely girlhood can sometimes feel. Even at a party, surrounded by people, you can feel totally alone. For me, I can just sense the empathy and shared understanding of that experience. There is a lot of joy that comes with girlhood, especially as you go from childhood into adolescence, but it can also feel like the loneliest time in the world. All of these big events are happening, along with big feelings that can be difficult to express. It was this scene in particular that felt so powerful, that, if I had seen that at 13 years old, maybe I would feel a little less alone during that stage of my life.
Sunny Sandler in “You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah” (2023) | Netflix
Cohen also intricately handles when friends grow apart. Friendship dynamics change over time, especially as individually, we grow and experience the world in new ways. In a society that loves to pit women and girls against one another, Cohen balanced that strain in such a vital relationship without demonizing or belittling one side. While Stacy is our main focus, and she is obviously hurt by Lydia, we never venture into territory that tears Lydia down for her actions. There are clear consequences for what transpires, but there’s no need to tear down one side to justify the feels of the other - which, we rarely see in films in general, let alone in a film about teenage girls. Cohen clearly has compassion for Stacy and her journey, but their holistic filmmaking approach ensures that the true ‘antagonist’ of the film, if you will, is circumstance.
In the future
Currently, Cohen has been working on national commercial campaigns. They currently do not have a third feature film lined up. Nevertheless less, it is evident that their films will continue to tell unique, fun, and powerful stories. As you watch films by Cohen, you begin to understand the ways in which cinema has informed our understanding of girlhood and coming-of-age. Their films subvert the typical exploration, and instead speak to what it truly means to be a teenager. As a person who has always watched coming-of-age films, in recent years, Cohen has joined several filmmakers who are making movies that would have revolutionized how I saw myself and my experiences had those films been made when I was younger. It is vital we have filmmakers who understand the human experience, and more so can bring to life queer stories and female-driven films with an appreciation, authenticity, and love those stories deserve. Cohen is a filmmaker who understands the importance of the attention these stories deserve, and I cannot wait to see the stories they bring to life in the future.