Just another girl on the I.R.T (1993)

Just Another Girl on the I.R.T. is a seminal independent coming-of-age drama written, directed, and produced by Leslie Harris that follows the life of Chantel Mitchell, a sharp-witted Black teenager living in the Brooklyn projects of New York City who refuses to be defined by her environment. Chantel (played by Ariyan A. Johnson) is articulate, confident, and determined to escape the limitations of poverty—she dreams of graduating early, attending college, and ultimately becoming a doctor, all while juggling school, a part-time job, and responsibilities at home. Throughout the film, she directly addresses the audience, breaking the fourth wall to assert that she is more than “just another girl on the I.R.T.”—a reference to the city’s subway—challenging stereotypes about Black urban youth. However, her aspirations are complicated by real-world obstacles including clashing with unsupportive school authorities, navigating romantic relationships, and confronting an unplanned pregnancy that forces her to reevaluate her future and the sacrifices she’s willing to make. The narrative is grounded in the grit and rhythm of 1990s Brooklyn, blending humor, social commentary, and emotional depth to explore themes of race, class, gender, ambition, and resilience against systemic barriers. The film premiered at the 1992 Toronto International Film Festival and won the Special Jury Prize at the 1993 Sundance Film Festival, marking a historic moment as one of the first feature films by a Black woman to receive wide distribution and critical acclaim, with Harris’s unapologetic, character-driven story still regarded as a powerful and underrepresented voice in American cinema.