Sundance Review: “Cookie Queens”

Cookie Queens (Alysa Nahmias, 2026) 4 out of 5 stars

According to the title cards in Cookie Queens, the new documentary from director Alysa Nahmias (Art & Krimes by Krimes), the Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) sell about 250 million boxes of Girl Scout Cookies annually over the course of six weeks. That’s roughly $800 million in revenue, of which the sellers (i.e., the young troop members) receive $1 (out of $6) per box. As someone who consistently contributes to those numbers (I love me some Lemonades, Peanut Butter Patties and Thin Mints), I had a vested interest in the subject to begin with.

And the film does not disappoint, especially since it delves into the behind-the-scenes details of the family dynamics of those who sell. We meet four girls in particular: Olive (age 12), Nikki (9), Shannon Elizabeth (8), and Ara (5). Each one has a different goal in mind as selling season begins, from Olive’s initial eye-popping 5000 (which balloons to well over 10,000) to Ara’s much more modest 55.

In addition to taking us on a dramatically thrilling—and often humorous—ride through the ups and downs and highs and lows of peddling sugar for cash, Cookie Queens also asks important questions about who has agency, where the money goes, and what good parenting looks like. There’s no one good answer, but rather a variety of suggestions. Every situation has its own unique details, the learning of which makes for fascinating viewing.

Of especial note is Olive’s story. As the oldest of the subjects here, she also has the most experience. For quite some time, she has been the top earner in her Charlotte, North Carolina, troop, a fact that makes her proud but that also gives her pause. What kind of person would she be if she stopped selling? Would she lose her sense of self? She and best friend Celia have incredibly thought-provoking conversations about this and other topics that belie their relatively short lives. They inspire through deep discourse.

On the other end, there is Ara, who at 5 has just begun to learn about the world. She’s also diabetic, which complicates the whole affair. What does it mean to sell cookies when the GSUSA does not offer any that are sugar-free? Fortunately, with her incredibly supportive parents, she makes her first—pretty confident, actually—steps out into the world, even eventually making her own sugar-free cookies to sell. She also inspires.

By no means are Nikki or Shannon Elizabeth any less interesting, each facing their own challenges on the quest to meet their final tallies, the latter’s family especially stressed out as they worry about being left on the hook for the 2750 boxes they pre-ordered. In addition to all of the above reasons to watch, Cookie Queens is also a triumph of casting. The girls hold our attention throughout. I’ll double my order of boxes, please.

[Cookie Queens just premiered at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival.]