Educational Media Reviews Online

This short film is a new addition to the increasing amount of reminiscences and scholarship on the 1990s riot grrrl movement. Although much of the previous focus has been on feminist punk bands and zine creation and circulation, Grrrl Love and Revolution: Riot Grrl NYC incorporates a broader perspective of the riot grrrl subculture. Presented as a documentary, the film concentrates on the New York City riot grrl scene and shows collages of original documents such as posters, flyers and zines; film clips from internationally recognized bands including Bikini Kill, Bratmobile, and Lunachicks, and bands from the NYC scene (Laito Lychee, and Double Zero); and 1990s interviews of Riot Grrrl NYC members. Abby Moser—riot grrrl participant, filmmaker, and now a lecturer of media studies—initially released portions of this documentary as rough cuts in 1997 on VHS, now almost completely unavailable. This 2011 release incorporates some of the same original footage but also includes new contemporary commentary from journalists and scholars including: Sara Marcus, journalist and author of the book Girls to the Front: The True Story of the Riot Grrrl Revolution; Gayle Wald, professor of English at George Washington University; and Evelyn McDonnell, assistant professor of journalism and new media at Loyola Marymount University. Although the names of these individuals are displayed on screen, their institutional affiliations and the significance of their scholarship is not entirely made clear in the film.

Overall, the film aptly demonstrates how the 1980s punk movement in New York (as in other parts of the country) was not the gender neutral environment that it purported itself to be, and also delivers some historical context for the broader riot grrrl movement. Interviewees mention their desire to form their own feminist groups separate from “uncomfortable” and “bureaucratic” National Organization for Women (NOW) meetings and other more mainstream feminist groups of the time. Instead, riot grrls formed support networks by creating discussion groups, encouraging information sharing, and providing funding and venues for music, arts, and culture. They endeavored to spread their DIY philosophy not only in music, but also in filmmaking, art, and zine creation. In addition, members collaborated with activist groups such as the Women’s Action Coalition (WAC), the Women’s Health Action and Mobilization (WHAM!), and the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP) to support politically-charged issues.

Grrrl Love and Revolution effectively reveals how the mainstream media frequently misunderstood and misrepresented the riot grrrl movement and that members did not want to be trivialized, labeled, and popularized in the mainstream media. In addition, the film provides a brief discussion of riot grrrl’s influence on music and culture today. One of the most interesting sequences of the film is Riot Grrrl NYC members discussing their views on the issues of race, class, privilege, and other forms of difference amongst the typically white, middle-class members of the riot grrrl movement. Although this piece is a good starting point for a discussion of riot grrrl, viewers will have many unanswered questions by the end of the film. The meaning of “Riot Grrrl NYC” is never clearly defined throughout the film. Was Riot Grrrl NYC a very loose-knit community or did it have more formal meeting space and membership? How is Riot Grrrl NYC similar or different from other riot grrl scenes throughout the country? Where does Riot Grrrl NYC fit in the history and context of riot grrrl? What has happened to Riot Grrrl NYC members today? Why were none of the original interviewees re-interviewed for this new release almost fifteen years later?

While the official website shown on screen at the end of the film was not functional at the time of this review, additional resources of interest include the 2006 film Don’t Need You: Herstory of Riot Grrrl, which focuses on the broader riot grrrl movement. Journalist Sara Marcus’s website, blog, and film project provides more contextual information about riot grrrl and also demonstrates how women continue to be influenced by the movement today.

Awards

• Awards Received: Los Angeles Underground Film Festival, Honorable Mention