Claim: Selena Gomez starred in the 2013 film Spring Breakers.

Spring Breakers is a 2012 American film written and directed by Harmony Korine . It stars James Franco , Vanessa Hudgens , Selena Gomez , Ashley Benson and Rachel Korine and follows four college-aged girls on their spring break in Florida where they meet an eccentric local drug dealer named Alien who helps them in a time of desperation , and their eventual descent into a world of drugs , crime , and violence .   Korine had devised the concept for Spring Breakers over several years prior to production , with fleeting ideas about the plot and what should transpire . His initial desire was to create a `` sensory film '' that was more about feeling than action and placed little importance on narrative or plot , the idea for which came later . Once Korine developed the backbone of the story , which takes place around the American spring break period , he travelled to Florida to write the screenplay . Production began in 2012 , on an estimated budget of $ 5 million -- a relatively small amount in today 's film industry , albeit Korine 's second most expensive film to date . The film is also one of Korine 's first theatrical works to receive a wide release .   Spring Breakers was released on March 22 , 2013 in the United States by A24 and grossed $ 31 million worldwide , making it a resounding success considering the small budget . It received generally positive reviews from film critics , with some calling it a potential cult classic . The film was selected to compete for the Golden Lion at the 69th Venice International Film Festival . Critics and scholars have read deeper meaning in the film 's plot , commenting on its reflection of modern-day superficiality and the younger generation 's obsession with highly stylised pop culture media .