Ovarian Psycos 2016
Distributed by Women Make Movies, 115 W. 29th Street, Suite 1200,New York, NY, 10001; 212-925-0606
Directed by Joanna Sokolowski and Kate Trumbull-Lavalle
DVD, color, 72 min., English and Spanish with English subtitles
High School - General Adult
Activism, Family, Feminism, Gender Identity, Protest Movements, Women’s Rights
Date Entered: 10/26/2018
Reviewed by Linda Frederiksen, Washington State University, Vancouver, WAInto a warm California night, a formation of women riding bicycles suddenly appears, moving with purpose and joy. With bandanas covering all but the eyes, the women are taking part in a monthly ride through the city streets of East Los Angeles. Called the Ovas for short, they are the Ovarian Psycos, a group of feminist activists with an unapologetic mission to confront injustice and gentrification, build community, and redefine identity. Established in 2010, the education and advocacy collective focuses on issues of racial, gender, and political inequality. The monthly Luna Rides are one example of the local organizational work done by the fiercely-independent Ovas.
To tell this story, the filmmakers focus on 3 of the Ovarian Psycos. Xela de la X is a rap musician, single parent, and founder of the group; Andi Xoch is a young artist who becomes a community organizer; and Evelyn is a new recruit who finds sisterhood and her own identity. Each struggles with intense private conflicts including past sexual abuse, harassment, discrimination, and violence. Crisply photographed and edited, the personal stories and the bicycle brigade sequences are powerful, inspiring, and respectful.