In a recent interview with The Christian Post, director of “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret,” Kelly Fremon-Craig, opened up about her experience while filming and why she decided to bring Judy Blume’s bestselling novel to the big screen. The 1970’s novel details the life of a young girl grappling with the uncertainty of growing up and becoming a woman. Fremon-Craig recalled reading the book as a child, but after re-reading the book as an adult and a mother, the book spoke to her in different ways than before.

“What really struck me and made me want to make the film was [Margaret] has such a beautiful and profound spiritual journey that’s at the center of it,” Fremon-Craig said. “And I actually don’t remember that when I read it as a kid, it only struck me later as an adult. There’s just something really beautiful and true about that age when you feel really uncertain about yourself, and there’s all this change going on in your life, to reach out for something greater and to have that sort of longing for faith and for a belief in something solid, that you’re going to be OK. That was really beautiful to me.”

Although the new film isn’t faith-based, it gives insight into an adolescent girl’s thoughts which often include faith, curiosity and doubt. These are all things that Fremon-Craig thought were essential to bring to the table when translating the novel into a movie. “Margaret is at the age when you realize your parents aren’t God, they’re people that are just doing the best they can,” Fremon-Craig said. “It makes you say, ‘If they’re not in charge, then who is in charge? Is anyone in charge?’ I resonate with why this is the age that you start to ask these bigger life questions and begin that search.”