When Robert Redford set up the Sundance Film Festival in 1978, his vision was clear: to create a space where independent filmmakers could thrive, where overlooked voices could be heard, and where cinema could challenge the dominance of Hollywood. Over the decades, Sundance has become the launchpad for directors like Steven Soderbergh, Quentin Tarantino and Ava DuVernay, proving that small films can change the cultural conversation.
Into this tradition step the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, executive producers of Cookie Queens, a documentary directed by Alysa Nahmias that follows four Girl Scouts as they take on the annual cookie-selling season.
For a Brit like me, the Girl Scout cookie tradition seems alien and kind of quirky. In the United States (I’ve just learned) it’s a century-old institution.
The first Girl Scout cookies were baked in 1917. Today the programme involves 2.3 million Girl Scouts selling around 200 million boxes each year, raising funds for troop activities and community projects. It’s the largest girl-led entrepreneurial programme in the world, teaching girls business skills, confidence and teamwork. All while generating significant revenue, estimated at over $800 million annually. What looks like a simple box of Thin Mints or Samoas turns out to be a powerful tool for empowerment and education. By bringing Cookie Queens to Sundance, director Alysa Nahmias gives these girls their moment in the spotlight.
This tradition is very different to British youth organisations. While Scouts in the UK may fundraise through jumble sales or sponsored hikes, the American Girl Scout cookie programme is a national event, woven into the fabric of community life. It’s big business. And it’s also a rite of passage, teaching girls to pitch, persuade and persevere. Our American friends have always been good at super-charging things and you’ve got to take your hat off at the way they’ve turned the humble biscuit into culture, commerce and community, all in one bite.
Cookie Queens sounds like a film with real heart. From the sacrifices families make, to the creativity of young entrepreneurs … and the cultural weight of a tradition that has shaped generations. Meghan’s own past as a Girl Scout makes the project especially resonant. She will know the mix of fun and pressure that comes with cookie season. And now she’s helping ensure that the next generation’s stories are told on a global stage. Harry, meanwhile, has consistently championed giving young people platforms to shine. It seems like the perfect project for these supporters of creativity and community, using their influence to lift up stories that matter.
Independent cinema thrives on stories of everyday resilience, and Cookie Queens seems like a natural fit for Sundance. A story about ambition and resilience, told with warmth, giving a platform to voices that might otherwise be overlooked.
Harry and Meghan rocking up at Sundance brought the cameras and the attention and plenty of excitement. But as so often with the Sussexes, they use their star power to uplift others. This time a festival that has always championed independent voices, and a filmmaker who has given young girls their moment in the spotlight.
Sundance has always been about more than films. It’s about changing the conversation. And with Cookie Queens, the Sussexes have helped continue that tradition, showing that the festival’s founding spirit of amplifying overlooked voices is alive and well.