A new documentary supported by Meghan Markle and Prince Harry is heading to theaters after landing a distribution deal. The film, Cookie Queens, has been picked up for U.S. release by Roadside Attractions following its debut earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival.
Directed by Alysa Nahmias, the documentary centers on young Girl Scouts as they take on the intense six-week cookie season, when troops across the country hit the streets and storefronts to sell fan favorites like Thin Mints, Samoas, and Tagalongs.
According to Variety, the film is also scheduled to screen at SXSW before making its theatrical debut this summer, giving the story of the girls’ entrepreneurial journey a much larger platform.
Markle, who serves as an executive producer alongside Prince Harry, previously shared that the project holds personal meaning for her.
“As a former Girl Scout myself, with my mom as my troop leader, I have a personal affinity for this film,” Markle said.
She also noted that Alysa Nahmias’ direction provides an up-close look at what really happens during cookie season, blending the nostalgia many Americans feel about the tradition with the real pressures the girls experience today.
Executives at Roadside Attractions, including Eric d’Arbeloff and Howard Cohen, said the documentary immediately stood out during its Sundance debut.
In a joint statement, they described Cookie Queens as a deeper look at a well-known American tradition that people rarely stop to examine, emphasizing the emotional moments and family dynamics behind the cookie-selling hustle.
The documentary also arrives at a time when the Girl Scout cookie program continues to serve as one of the country’s biggest youth entrepreneurship efforts. Cookie sales — which usually run from early February through mid-March — help fund troop activities while teaching girls valuable skills like goal setting, money management, and communication.
Across the country, the program brings in hundreds of millions of dollars every year, with the funds staying within local communities to support troop experiences, camps, and service projects.
In New York City, one powerful example of the program’s impact is Girl Scout Troop 6000, a unique troop created for girls living in temporary housing. Operating across all five boroughs, the initiative now supports more than 13,000 participants and runs programs in over 20 shelter locations.
Members of the troop often sell cookies in busy spots like Union Square as they work toward ambitious fundraising goals that help pay for camp trips, field outings, and community activities.
The program reflects the broader mission of the Girl Scouts of Greater New York, which uses cookie sales not just to fund activities but also to build leadership skills and create a sense of stability for the girls involved.
