The new movie Cookie Queens comes to theaters across the United States today, Friday, August 7.
The documentary film follows six Girl Scouts through one cookie season, as each girl sets her own sales goal–from a few dozen boxes to over 12,000. Along the way, according to the official website, they navigate “an $800 million business in which innocence and ambition collide.”
Not an Official Girl Scout Film
Cookie Queens is an independent film. Girl Scouts of the USA was not involved in the production. When the producers began collecting stories about cookie sales in 2023, GSUSA was decidedly not amused.
However, after seeing the finished product, GSUSA recognized its honesty and spirit. The July 2026 National Girl Scout Convention featured a screening of the film, and the film production team had a popular booth in the Hall of Experiences.
The National Girl Scout Shop now has patches and other merchandise.
Talent Behind the Scenes
Directed by Alysa Nahmias, Cookie Queens premiered at the Sundance Festival in January 2026. Former Girl Scout Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, is an executive producer and has helped publicize the film.
I had several interviews with Alysa over the past three years, and I saw the finished film in June at the DC Docs Festival.
Between the 2023 Girl Scout National Convention and DC Docs, I’ve met most of the Cookie Queens themselves. (I haven’t met Meghan, but my calendar is open … ).
But We Have Had Official Girl Scout Cookie Movies
An official cookie movie, Smart Cookies, premiered in 2012 as part of celebrations for the 100th birthday of Girl Scouts. The Hallmark Channel movie featured a new Girl Scout in town who energizes a stagnant troop and encourages a rookie leader. The story climaxes with a cookie booth duel that wouldn’t pass muster with Safety-Wise, but all turns out for the best. IMDB reports that it is is available on Hallmark Plus, Tubi, and Prime Video.
Previous Girl Scout Cookie Queens
And we’ve had cookie queens in the past, along with the occasional cookie princess.
Other Official Films: The Golden Eaglet
Apart from training videos and one television special about the 1962 Senior Roundup, Girl Scouts of the USA has only made one theatrical film: The Golden Eaglet.
In 1918, the Girl Scouts released the silent black-and-white film, The Golden Eaglet. Shown along with short films and newsreels at neighborhood cinemas, The Golden Eaglet was a tremendous advertising coup for the six-year-old movement.
In just 20 minutes, ordinary girl Margaret joins the Girl Scouts, learns to hike, swims across a river without losing her hat, and uses her first aid and signaling skills when she discovers an injured railway worker. Next she helps a soldier’s wife bring the family home under control before the war veteran returns home. What can’t Girl Scout Margaret do?
The movie used real Girl Scouts and filmed at Central Valley Camp in New York. Founder Juliette Gordon Low even makes a brief appearance at the end.
Recruitment never reached the levels the Navy enjoyed at Top Gun showings, but hundreds of girls immediately signed up for Girl Scouts after watching The Golden Eaglet.
The film is available on YouTube and other sites.
Recycling the Golden Eaglet
In the spirit of “using resources wisely,” the Girl Scouts recycled The Golden Eaglet at least two times. It was renamed The Little Sisters of Uncle Sam in 1920 but the content did not change. (I’m glad that name didn’t stick.)
For the 50th anniversary of Girl Scouts in 1962, The Golden Eaglet was given an “updated” introduction and released as Follow Me, Girls.
The Boy Scouts purloined the name and released Follow Me, Boys with Disney in 1966. However, stars Fred MacMurray and Kurt Russell could never hope to be as skilled as The Golden Eaglet’s Girl Scout Margaret.
The Golden Eaglet was restored to its original content and name in 1982. Period music was added for modern audiences.
Still More Girl Scout Movies?
I’ve seen references to two other Girl Scout films.
The Girl Scout Trail
The Girl Scout Trail was released for Girl Scout week in 1930. Unlike The Golden Eaglet, this one had sound. The national headquarters ran articles in Leader magazine that year describing how to arrange a local showing. First Lady Lou Henry Hoover hosted a private screening of the film at the White House.
Girl Scout Week-Ends
Girl Scout Week-Ends apparently debuted in 1934. It is described as a film feature, but I am not sure of the length. It might have been a brief newsreel feature. Newspapers of the era mention theaters showing the film during Girl Scout week.
Girl Scout historian Nancy White found this information on the film.
Typical official Girl Scout reference materials, however, do not mention either film.
I’m sure the new Cookie Queens will have a much longer shelf-life!
© 2026 Ann Robertson, writer, editor, Girl Scout historian, but NOT a Girl Scout employee.
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