‘Rainbow Girls’ Short Film Review—High-Fashion Heists in Technicolor
A comedy-drama about friendship, survival, and the fight for equality
Written and directed by Nana Duffuor, Rainbow Girls is a short film that follows three Black trans women (Tati, Angel, and Gemini) who stage heists from high-fashion stores in order to survive in the vast growing gentrification of San Francisco.
The film has been featured in the 2025 Iris Prize Official Selection as well as the 2025 Out on Film Festival. As of this review, it is also listed on YouTube as Short of the Week.
The cast includes Jai Stephenson, Sis Thee Doll, Céline Jackson, Maxi Zubi, and Nava Mau.
The film opens with bright colors, some cardio, and a comedic element that pulls you into the story right away. But as we dive deeper, something heartbreaking and beautiful begins to take shape.
The shoplifting is positioned as a symptom of a larger problem that plagues the trans community, specifically Black trans women. As society advances, these women in our community are forever on the edge of protection—rights, livelihood and life in general always at risk of being snuffed out.
What Duffour managed to create—and what the cast performed extremely well—is the heart of what filmmaking is about: navigating complex conversations through a lens that makes it easier to understand, digest, and provoke change.
Final Review
Rainbow Girls is funny, grounding, and fabulous.
What is clear from is that this story is not just about fashion, heists, and thrills. It’s about being bold and taking risks to live the life you deserve.
Rainbow Girls is available to stream now on YouTube. Check out the short film below.