Girls Rock!

Imagine 8 year old girls headbanging to blaring death metal music and playing guitars on the back of their necks. The image sums up a recent documentary called "Girls Rock!"(http://www.girlsrockmovie.com/) playing at the Red Vic theater in the Haight. It follows the lives of four, young women ranging in age from 8 to 16 as they prepare for, attend, and reflect upon their experience at a rock summer camp in Portland, Oregon (www.girlsrockcamp.org). Predictably they all transform over the course of the week into raging rockers. However, the most intriguing moments happen along the way as they work through tensions between band members, develop friendships, and miraculously create catchy music and lyrics for a performance in front of 750 people. There is something uncanny about seeing first graders channeling the energy of Iggy Pop, Ozzy Osbourne, and Joan Jett.

Like many documentaries of this genre, the quality of the cinematography oscillates between regular footage, low grade home videos, and snappy animated fillers. And, interestingly enough, both of the directors were men and one of them spoke after the film showing, answering questions from the audience which included many aspiring young female musicians. So far, the film has been shown in over 40 states and at four film festivals in Sweden. The sound track will be available online by the end of the month and DVD comes out in September.


Ludmilla and Liesl at the Red Vic.