opening band films in association with Long Shot Factory and Bird in the Hand Productions present A film by Sini Anderson SCREENINGS Sunday 03/10/2013, 10PM --- Vimeo Theater Monday 03/11/2013, 9:00 PM --- Alamo Ritz 2 Tuesday 03/12/2013, 7:00 PM --- SXSatellite: Alamo Village Wednesday 03/13/2013, 7:00 PM --- Stateside Theatre Run Time: 80 minutes Official Website: www.thepunksinger.com SXSW Publicity Contact: Brandy Fons FONS PR 3105 Funston Street Austin, TX 78703 brandy@fonspr.com 310.809.8882 SXSW Sales Contact: John Sloss Cinetic Media 555 West 25th Street, 4 FL New York, NY 10001 sales@cineticmedia.com 212.204.7979 Film Contact: Erin Owens 349 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10016 erin@longshotfactory.com Mobile: 917.940.1687 1 SYNOPSIS Kathleen Hanna, lead singer of the punk band Bikini Kill and dance-punk trio Le Tigre, rose to national attention as the reluctant but never shy voice of the riot grrrl movement. She became one of the most famously outspoken feminist icons, a cultural lightning rod. Her critics wished she would just shut-up, and her fans hoped she never would. So in 2005, when Hanna stopped shouting, many wondered why. Through 20 years of archival footage and intimate interviews with Hanna, THE PUNK SINGER takes viewers on a fascinating tour of contemporary music and offers a never-before-seen view into the life of this fearless leader. 2 DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT Kathleen and I were talking about making the Le Tigre documentary, WHO TOOK THE BOMP? I said I thought it was a great idea, but that I felt like there was a bigger story that needed telling—Kathleen’s story. There have been many accounts of the bands to which she’s lent her iconic wail, the movement she helped start, and the effects that movement has had on feminism today, but nothing solely about and supported by Kathleen herself. “Kathleen, when are you going to tell your story?” I asked. Soon after that meeting, she decided that now was the right time. With more than 20 years of work behind her, Kathleen’s story is more than a single film can hope to capture, and more than I alone can hope to convey in 90 minutes or less. But Kathleen was ready, and I was ready to make my first feature-length film. I assembled a team of experienced producers, DPs, and an editor. After two years working on the film, we ran out of funds for post-production and hit a wall. For help, I turned to veteran filmmaker Tamra Davis. Tamra has always been somebody that I looked up to as a filmmaker. I showed her the film and, seeing great potential in it, she came on board as a producer and took a significant role in shaping the film you see today. Kathleen is a cultural icon, the biggest influence on my generation of feminist artists. The responsibility involved in telling her story is not lost on me, and I’m grateful for Tamra’s help. From the beginning, and at heart, THE PUNK SINGER has been a collaborative effort. When people first heard I was making a film about Kathleen, they were eager to go on camera and express what she’s meant to them. More and more people started coming forward, and I realized how female her story is; with few exceptions, all of Kathleen’s collaborators have been women, which is perhaps why her life and works resonate so much with women. Kathleen might not be “the boss of the riot grrrls,” as some media would have her pegged, but certainly she’s been one of feminism’s most vocal champions this side of the ‘70s. One of the most memorable days of production was the Kathleen Hanna Tribute Show, in December 2010 at the Knitting Factory. Twenty bands turned out to cover songs from Kathleen’s extensive catalog. We didn’t want to miss anything, so our tiny crew expanded to nearly 40 people on a five-camera shoot, and we set up a makeshift interview set in our production van where we interviewed all the bands. Some of the artists we interviewed were teenagers, like Care Bears on Fire, She Murders, and Tavi Gevinson. Born well after riot grrrl, I asked them how they even knew who Kathleen Hanna was. They all said that someone had put a Bikini Kill song or two on mix tapes they’d been given in middle school, and that once they heard it, they couldn’t get enough. Kathleen was overwhelmed by the turnout at that show. Friends and collaborators past and fierce musicians future—the next generation of women who rock—were covering 3 songs from her entire catalog. It came at a really pivotal moment in her life, when even the hardiest leader could use a little encouragement. After all, it’s not solely for her audience that Kathleen writes these galvanizing anthems. Yes, she’s gifted at communicating what’s on her mind in a way that inspires and compels others to follow suit. But as I hope you’ll see in the film, that doesn’t mean this leader has it all figured out, that she’s said everything she has to say. And lucky for us, she’s not done trying. -- Sini Anderson, Director CAST BIOGRAPHIES KATHLEEN HANNA is a New York City-based artist, best known for her groundbreaking performances as a member of the seminal ‘90s punk band, Bikini Kill, and her more recent multimedia group, Le Tigre. She is currently making art, giving lectures, and writing a new album with her band The Julie Ruin. ADAM HOROVITZ, better known as Ad-Rock, is a musician, rapper, producer, and actor best known as a member of the pioneering hip hop group, The Beastie Boys. JOHANNA FATEMAN is an artist, musician (famous for her role in the New York feminist band Le Tigre), and a writer, best known for her unflinchingly honest observations on fine art and writing for Artforum and Bookforum Magazines. Her work is in the Riot Grrrl Archives at the Fales Library at NYU. JD SAMSON is a musician best know for her work with Le Tigre and, most recently, MEN. KIM GORDON is a musician, vocalist, artist, record producer, video director, and actress her first rose to prominence with the band Sonic Youth. CORIN TUCKER Best-known for her role in punk rock mainstay Sleater-Kinney, Tucker also played in the influential early-`90s rock group Heavens to Betsy. Recently, she has appeared alongside Sleater-Kinney bandmate Carrie Brownstein in the IFC sketch comedy series “Portlandia.” Corin lives with her two children and filmmaker husband, Lance Bangs, in Portland, OR. CARRIE BROWNSTEIN is a musician, writer, and actress who first became widely known as guitarist and vocalist in Sleater-Kinney. Currently, she plays guitar and sings in the 4 band Wild Flag and stars with co-developer Fred Armisen in IFC’s sketch comedy series “Portlandia.” JOAN JETT is a musician known for her work with the Runaways and the Blackhearts. She’s had eight platinum and gold albums, nine Top 40 singles, and heads her own record label, Blackheart Records. As a producer, she has overseen albums by Bikini Kill, Circus Lupus, and seminal L.A. punks, the Germs. KATHI WILCOX is a musician known for her work with Bikini Kill, The Casual Dots, The Frumpies, and most recently, The Julie Ruin. TOBI VAIL is a musician and feminist critic from Olympia, WA, best known for her work in Bikini Kill and Jigsaw. ALLISON WOLFE is a singer, songwriter, and zine writer best known for her work with the punk bands Bratmobile and Partyline. LYNN BREEDLOVE is a musician, writer, and performer. Best known as the founder and front person of the first American out dyke punk band Tribe 8, Breedlove is also the acclaimed author of the autobiographical novel Godspeed. Breedlove has been a featured performer at Sister Spit, Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival, San Francisco Trans March, and multiple Ladyfests and Pride fests. TAVI GEVINSON gained national attention with her fashion blog, Style Rookie, which she started at the age of twelve. Gevinson is the founder and editor-in-chief of Rookie Mag, an online magazine for teenage girls, and currently attends high school. FILMMAKER BIOGRAPHIES SINI ANDERSON (Director, Producer) Sini Andderson has worked in film for over ten years as a producer, first assistant director, and creative consultant to directors on such films as BY HOOK OR BY CROOK, MANGO KISS, JADED CONSUMER LOOKING FOR SOMETHING MORE, FUMBLING TOWARDS ROCK: THE MIRIAM AND HELEN STORY, KARMA CALLING, and MAGGOTS AND MEN, among others. She has directed short form pieces such as Jolie Holland’s “All The Girls” music video and Melissa Febos’s experimental book/video short “Whip Smart.” THE PUNK SINGER is Anderson’s first feature length documentary. Anderson’s work has been supported by the San Francisco Arts Commission, the Horizons Foundation, Theatre Bay Area’s Cash Program, the California Arts Council, Grants for the Arts San Francisco, Open Meadows, the Women’s Foundation, and the Astraea Foundation. She has served as chief curator and artistic director for the National 5 Queer Arts Festival, president of the board of directors for the Harvey Milk Institute, and co-chair of the board of directors for the Queer Cultural Center. Currently, Anderson is working to finish another feature-length documentary called I Spit On Your Country: Sister Spit, and is developing her first narrative film, based on a 1990 documentary about New York City’s queer culture. Anderson lives both in Brooklyn, NY, and San Francisco, CA, and performs and speaks at universities nationwide. TAMRA DAVIS (Producer) Tamra Davis is a film, television and music video director. She has made numerous music videos for such diverse bands as N.W.A., Sonic Youth, and Hanson. Her Tone Loc video for “Wild Thing” was one of MTV’s most played videos of the 80’s. Her first feature film, GUNCRAZY, stars Drew Barrymore. It was on Vincent Canby’s Top 10 list and gained a Golden Globe Best Actress nomination for Ms. Barrymore. Tamra has directed nine feature films, including BILLY MADISON with Adam Sandler, which opened #1 in U.S. box office; CB4 with Chris Rock; and HALF BACKED with Dave Chapelle (also opened #1 U.S. box office). After she directed CROSSROADS with Britney Spears, she temporarily retired to have children with her husband Mike D. of the Beastie Boys. While spending much time at home and on the road with her family, she discovered a love for television and has directed such shows as “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Ugly Betty,” and “My Name Is Earl.” She directed a documentary on the painter, Jean-Michel Basquait called JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT: THE RADIANT CHILD. The film screened at Sundance Film Festival in 2010 and continues to show domestically and internationally in film festivals, and was released in the U.S. summer/fall of 2010. It premiered spring 2010 on PBS as part of their Independent Lens series. Currently, she is working on the third season of a TV show for VH1 called “Single Ladies,” a scripted romantic comedy series where she is the Director and an Executive Producer. It has been the #1 show with women ages 18 to 49 on cable Monday nights. GWEN BIALIC (Producer) Gwen Bialic has been working as a producer, line producer, and production manager in New York independent film for over fifteen years. She began her production career working on the award-winning films HIGH ART (1998), GIRLFIGHT (2000), PERSONAL VELOCITY (2002), and cult favorites POOTIE TANG (2001) and WENDIGO (2001). She went on to work with directors such as John Waters on A DIRTY SHAME (2004), Jim Jarmusch on BROKEN FLOWERS (2005), Michel Gondry on BE KIND REWIND (2008), and Jodie Foster on THE BEAVER (2011). Her co-producer credits include: OUTSOURCED (2006), shot in Mumbai, India; Oren Moverman’s Oscar-nominated film THE 6 MESSENGER (2009); and the second feature from MARIA FULL OF GRACE director Joshua Marston, THE FORGIVENESS OF BLOOD, shot in Albania in 2010 and winner of a Silver Bear at the 2011 Berlinale. Most recently, she has completed production on THE HARVEST, starring Samantha Morton and Michael Shannon. Documentary credits include RIKER’S HIGH (2005); Lou Reed’s BERLIN (2007), directed by Julian Schnabel; and HOW MUCH DOES YOUR BUILDING WEIGH MR. FOSTER? (2011) Bialic is currently developing several projects, including a feature film about the JT LeRoy literary scandal. RACHEL DENGIZ (Producer) Rachel Dengiz is a producer and filmmaker based in New York City. She began her career working for independent filmmaker Jim Jarmusch, where she served as an associate producer on COFFEE & CIGARETTES and as a production associate on BROKEN FLOWERS and The Raconteurs’ “Steady as She Goes” music video. Her recent achievements include serving as co-director on two documentaries about the punk rock band Rise Against, serving as producer for Diana Krall's “When the Curtain Comes Down” music video, and serving as co-director and producer for musician Sophie Auster's “Run Run Run” music video. Currently, Dengiz is serving as a producer on both MEDORA—which is premiering at the 2013 SXSW Film Festival—and a documentary about cancer alongside Stanley Tucci, Wren Arthur, and Diane Nabatoff, directed by Academy Award® nominee Michele Ohayon. She is also in development on several more independent projects, including a documentary television series set in the city of Detroit. ERIN OWENS (Producer) Erin Owens has worked in independent film for over 10 years, and started Long Shot Factory, a theatrical distribution and consulting company, in 2011. Long Shot has released numerous films including Linda Goldstein Knowlton’s SOMEWHERE BETWEEN, Academy Award® nominee HELL AND BACK AGAIN, and Jennifer Fox’s MY REINCARNATION. Long Shot is currently working on the theatrical release of DON’T STOP BELIEVIN’: EVERYMAN’S JOURNEY. THE PUNK SINGER is Long Shot’s first foray into producing. Prior to Long Shot, Owens ran daily operations for Arthouse Films and oversaw the complete theatrical releases and Academy campaigns for Academy Award® nominee WASTE LAND, JEAN-MICHEL BASQUIAT: THE RADIANT CHILD, HERB & DOROTHY, and VISUAL ACOUSTICS, among others. She was previously the Marketing Director at THINKFilm and Director of Publicity at Palm Pictures, and worked on Academy Award® winner TAXI TO THE DARKSIDE and Academy Award® nominees ENCOUNTERS AT THE END OF THE WORLD, WAR/DANCE, and HALF NELSON, and many other films including BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU’RE DEAD, IN THE SHADOW OF THE MOON, and SHORTBUS. 7 BO MEHRAD (Editor) Bo Mehrad has edited documentaries and narrative films, music videos for artists such as Diana Krall, short form content for St. Martin’s Press, as well as various shorts and web-based media. His feature film credits include KINGDOM, a documentary directed by New York Times reporter Noam Cohen, and THE WARRIOR & THE SAVIOR, a narrative by director Salvatore Sorrentino. Mehrad also has an extensive background in production, working on features, commercials, music videos, and short films before moving into post. Mehrad was born in Iran and educated in the U.K. He holds a B.A. in film from the California State University at San Francisco and is an Apple Certified trainer for Final Cut Pro. JESSICA HERNANDEZ (Editor) Jessica Hernandez is a first generation Cuban-American, born and raised in Orange County, California. She began her career as an editor in 2004, cutting trailers at HBO Films. Since then, she has edited both film and television projects for networks including ABC, PBS, National Geographic, VH1, MTV, and Discovery. Her film projects include: BOMB IT (Official Selection, 2007 Tribeca Film Festival), KARMA CALLING (Best Feature, 2009 New Jersey Film Festival), THE GARDEN (2009 Academy Award® nominee), BHUTTO (2011 Peabody Award winner and Emmy nominee), and TREATMENT (2011 Tribeca Film Festival). Hernandez was honored to be selected as a Film Independent Fellow early on in her career. She has since been nominated for both the Grand Jury Prize and Best Editing Award at the Sundance Film Festival for her directorial debut, BHUTTO, a film that went on to be nominated for an Emmy and won a 2011 Peabody Award. Currently, Jessica is the Supervising Editor on “Single Ladies,” a scripted one-hour comedy series produced by Queen Latifah's Flavor Unit. 8 FULL CREDITS AS THEY APPEAR ON SCREEN Director: Sini Anderson Producers: Tamra Davis Gwen Bialic Rachel Dengiz Erin Owens Alan Oxman Directors of Photography: Jennie Jeddry Moira Morel Editors: Bo Mehrad Jessica Hernández Associate Editor: Dimon Hunter Assistant Editors: Becky Laks Michael Parker Joey Serverini Additional Editors (The Edit Center): Aaron Aites Melanie Brown James Chellingworth Joy Dietrich Debora Giammarco Dana Kasser Becky Laks Lauren Lascher Collin MacGregor Joey Severini Rachel Steele Daria Sommers 9 Additional Camera: Sini Anderson Associatie Producers: Lisa Whitmer Jovan Sage Colleen Quinn Michal Blum Rachel Thieme Hilary Crowe Layout Director for Archival Material & Title Design: Lissi Erwin / Splendid Corp. Assistant to Layout Director & Archival Material Researcher: Caroline Partamian Archival Material Research Assistant: Sam Mullenburg The Fales Library & Special Collections, NYU Archivists: Lisa Darms, Senior Archivist Brent Phillips, Media Specialist and Processing Archivist Production Legal: Jen Kennedy at Kennedy Law Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Quentin Chiappetta CAST Kathleen Hanna Bikini Kill: Kathleen Hanna Tobi Vail Billy Karren Kathi Wilcox Le Tigre: Kathleen Hanna Johanna Fateman JD Samson 10 Alison Clancy Tavi Gevinson "The Style Rookie" The Roulettes: Amanda Huhn Nathan Affield Rachel Hass Rebecca Keith The Fancy: Amy Cimini Seth Garrison Katherine Young Kaia Wilson Joan Jett Tammy Rae Carland Becca Albee Corin Tucker Allison Wolfe Ann Powers Lynn Breedlove Sara Marcus Carrie Brownstein Kim Gordon Jennifer Baumgardner Anna Joy Springer Adam Horovitz Tamra Davis Gloria Steinem Dr. Leo Galland, M.D. MEN Michael O'Neill Tami Hart She Murders: Coo Gordon Moore Lilly Daiber Emma Weed Lucas Kendall Murray Hill Kenny Mellman 11 Carmine Covelli Sara Landeau MUSIC “Rebel Girl” Written by Kathleen Hanna, Billy Karren, Tobi Vail, Kathi Wilcox Performed by Bikini Kill Courtesy of Bikini Kill Records “For Tammy Rae” Written by Kathleen Hanna, Billy Karren, Tobi Vail, Kathi Wilcox Performed by Bikini Kill Courtesy of Bikini Kill Records “Double Dare Ya” Written by Kathleen Hanna, Billy Karren, Tobi Vail, Kathi Wilcox Performed by Bikini Kill Courtesy of Bikini Kill Records “Magnet” Written by Kathleen Hanna, Billy Karren, Tobi Vail, Kathi Wilcox Performed by Bikini Kill Courtesy of Bikini Kill Records “Jigsaw Youth” Written by Kathleen Hanna, Billy Karren, Tobi Vail, Kathi Wilcox Performed by Bikini Kill Courtesy of Bikini Kill Records “White Boy” Written by Kathleen Hanna, Billy Karren, Tobi Vail, Kathi Wilcox Performed by Bikini Kill Courtesy of Bikini Kill Records “Feels Blind” Written by Kathleen Hanna, Billy Karren, Tobi Vail, Kathi Wilcox Performed Bikini Kill Records “Distinct Complicity” Written by Kathleen Hanna, Billy Karren, Tobi Vail, Kathi Wilcox Performed by Bikini Kill Courtesy of Bikini Kill Records 12 “Reject All American” Written by Kathleen Hanna, Billy Karren, Tobi Vail, Kathi Wilcox Performed by Bikini Kill Courtesy of Bikini Kill Records “Sugar” Written by Kathleen Hanna, Billy Karren, Tobi Vail, Kathi Wilcox Performed by Bikini Kill Courtesy of Bikini Kill Records “RIP” Written by Kathleen Hanna, Billy Karren, Tobi Vail, Kathi Wilcox Performed by Bikini Kill Courtesy of Bikini Kill Records “Demirep” Written by Kathleen Hanna, Billy Karren, Tobi Vail, Kathi Wilcox Performed by Bikini Kill Courtesy of Bikini Kill Records “New Radio” Written by Kathleen Hanna, Billy Karren, Tobi Vail, Kathi Wilcox Performed by Bikini Kill Courtesy of Bikini Kill Records “Star Bellied Boy” Written by Kathleen Hanna, Billy Karren, Tobi Vail, Kathi Wilcox Performed by Bikini Kill Courtesy of Bikini Kill Records “Outta Me” Written by Kathleen Hanna, Billy Karren, Tobi Vail, Kathi Wilcox Performed by Bikini Kill Courtesy of Bikini Kill Records “Carnival” Written by Kathleen Hanna, Billy Karren, Tobi Vail, Kathi Wilcox Performed by Bikini Kill Courtesy of Bikini Kill Records “Tania” Written by Kathleen Hanna, Paul Schuster Performed by Julie Ruin 13 Courtesy of Bikini Kill Records “Aerobicide” Written by Kathleen Hanna Performed by Kathleen Hanna From the album 'Julie Ruin' “Radical or Pro-Parental” Written by Kathleen Hanna Performed by Kathleen Hanna From the album 'Julie Ruin' “Apt. #5” Written by Kathleen Hanna Performed by Kathleen Hanna From the album 'Julie Ruin' “Stay Monkey” Written by Kathleen Hanna Performed by Kathleen Hanna From the album 'Julie Ruin' “Love Letter” Written by Kathleen Hanna Performed by Kathleen Hanna From the album 'Julie Ruin' “My Morning is Summer” Written by Kathleen Hanna Performed by Kathleen Hanna From the album 'Julie Ruin' “Fake French” Written by Kathleen Hanna, Johanna Fateman, JD Samson Performed by Le Tigre Courtesy of Le Tigre Records “The The Empty” Written by Kathleen Hanna, Johanna Fateman, Sadie Benning Performed by Le Tigre Courtesy of Le Tigre Records “Eau D’Bedroom Dancing” Written by Kathleen Hanna, Johanna Fateman, Sadie Benning 14 Performed by Le Tigre Courtesy of Le Tigre Records “Hot Topic” Written by Kathleen Hanna, Johanna Fateman, Sadie Benning Performed by Le Tigre Courtesy of Le Tigre Records “Deceptacon” Written by Kathleen Hanna, Johanna Fateman, Sadie Benning Performed by Le Tigre Courtesy of Le Tigre Records “TKO” Written by Kathleen Hanna, Johanna Fateman, JD Samson Performed by Le Tigre Courtesy of Strummer/Universal “Sixteen” Written by Kathleen Hanna, Johanna Fateman, JD Samson Performed by Le Tigre Courtesy of Strummer/Universal “Keep on Livin’” Written by Kathleen Hanna, Johanna Fateman, JD Samson Performed by Le Tigre Courtesy of Le Tigre Records “Cry for Everything Bad That’s Ever Happened” Written by Kathleen Hanna, Johanna Fateman, JD Samson Performed by Le Tigre Courtesy of Le Tigre Records “Shaved Women” Written by Joy Devivre, Phil Free, Steve Ignorant, Eve Libertine, N. A. Palmer, Penny Rimbaud, Peter Wright Performed by Crass Courtesy of Crass Records “Intergalactic” Written by Mario Caldato, Michael Diamond, Adam Horovitz, Adam Yauch Performed by Beastie Boys Courtesy of Capitol/EMI Records/Grand Royal “Bull in the Heather” 15 Written by Kim Gordon, Thurston Moore, Lee Ranaldo, Steve Shelley Performed by Sonic Youth Courtesy of Geffen / DGC “Pretty Is” Written by Kathleen Hanna, Sharon Cheslow, Doug Birdzell Performed by Suture Courtesy of Decomposition / Dischord “Double Dare Ya” Written by Kathleen Hanna, Billy Karren, Tobi Vail, Kathi Wilcox Performed by MEN Used By Permission “Rebel Girl” Written by Kathleen Hanna, Billy Karren, Tobi Vail, Kathi Wilcox Performed by She Murders Used By Permission “Run Fast” Written by Kathleen Hanna, Kathi Wilcox, Carmine Covelli, Sara Landeau, Kenny Mellman Performed by The Julie Ruin Courtesy of The Julie Ruin Records “Blueberry Island” Written by Kathleen Hanna, Kathi Wilcox, Carmine Covelli, Sara Landeau, Kenny Mellman Performed by The Julie Ruin Courtesy of The Julie Ruin Records “Ha Ha Ha” Written by Kathleen Hanna, Kathi Wilcox, Carmine Covelli, Sara Landeau, Kenny Mellman Performed by The Julie Ruin Courtesy of The Julie Ruin Records 16