How a 2015 music video transformed into a cinematic exploration of grief
In short: Hayley Kiyoko’s 2026 film adaptation of her novel is more than a simple romance. By evolving a single song into a feature-length drama, the production uses a shifting color palette to navigate the complex intersection of first love, teenage heartbreak, and the heavy shadow of maternal loss.
The film's visual language is a deliberate evolution of Kiyoko's 2015 single of the same name. While the original music video relied on a sun-drenched warmth, cinematographer Sonja Tsypin expanded the palette for the feature to capture a broader spectrum of emotion. To represent the protagonist Coley’s emotional arc, the production utilized a sine wave of color: starting with warm gold, peach, and lime, transitioning into jewel tones, cyan, and muted steel blue during moments of loss, before eventually returning to the opening hues.
This chromatic shift is supported by specific technical choices. Tsypin utilized Canon K35 prime lenses to avoid a sterile digital look, opting instead for warmth, halation, and flares that evoke nostalgia. To maintain intimacy without sacrificing scale, the production employed large format cinematography, allowing for a shallow depth of field that keeps the audience focused on Coley's perspective. This technique was adjusted by First AC Josh Crippen and Tsypin, who increased the depth of field as Coley’s world expanded through her relationship with her father.
The narrative itself is deeply personal, rooted in Kiyoko's 2023 novel. The story follows 17-year-old Coley in rural Oregon during the summer of 2006 as she navigates a burgeoning romance with a girl named Sonya. The film explores heavy themes, including Coley's struggle with the suicide of her mother and her complicated reconciliation with her estranged father, Curtis. The project, which Focus Features acquired in December 2024, has been praised by critics for its striking visual flair and personal resonance.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Girls Like Girls (film)
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