The Righteous Babes

A film by Pratibha Parmar

England | 1998 | 50 minutes | Color | DVD | Order No. 99630

SYNOPSIS

In this accomplished documentary, acclaimed filmmaker Pratibha Parmar (A PLACE OF RAGE, WARRIOR MARKS) explores the intersection of feminism with popular music, focusing on the role of female recording artists in the 1990s and their influence on modern women. Parmar argues that, far from being dead, feminism has thrived and expanded its reach through the direct, aggressive, and revolutionary medium of rock music, and through the role models of performers like Madonna and Ani DiFranco. Intercutting performance footage with interviews, Parmar explores her thesis with some of the most outspoken female musicians, feminist theorists, and journalists of the UK and US, including Sinead O’Connor, Skin (Skunk Anansie), Chrissie Hynde (The Pretenders), Tori Amos, Ani DiFranco, Camille Paglia, and Gloria Steinem. THE RIGHTEOUS BABES offers a searing and timely critique of the commercialization of feminism through 'Girl Power' Spice Girls style, ditzy Ally McBeal and her trans-Atlantic counterpart, Bridget Jones. With critical insight and candidness, this powerful and timely documentary demonstrates the vibrancy and relevance of feminism to women and young girls today. Essential viewing for feminists, post-feminists and anti-feminists alike.

PRESS

“The righteous rage of The Righteous Babes tears the cobwebs off feminism: these fierce rock divas roll it out of the libraries and into packed concert halls. A sexy, invigorating must-see...”

Patricia R. Zimmermann Ithaca College

“Move over Spice Girls. Fast-paced, wryly observed, insightful, The Righteous Babes demolishes the “post” in “post-feminism.” In this video, popular culture — rock music — rather than marking the end of feminism through the commodification and containment of its revolutionary promise, instead emerges as a vital and contested ground of feminism’s on-going possibilities.”

Ann Pellegrini English and Women’s Studies, Harvard University

SCREENING HIGHLIGHTS AND AWARDS

  • Women's Film Festival, Seoul

ABOUT FILMMAKER(S)

Pratibha Parmar

Pratibha Parmar is an award-winning British filmmaker – a writer, director and producer with a track record of bringing deeply compelling stories into the mainstream media, stories that resonate beyond the margins. She has worked across multiple genres – feature documentaries, short dramas, music videos, a narrative feature, and is a recent director of episodic television, LAW & ORDER SUV and Ava DuVernay’s QUEEN SUGAR. Her work has appeared in a variety of broadcast and theatrical platforms.

Pratibha’s documentary A PLACE OF RAGE, on African American women and the civil rights movement, which focused on June Jordan and Angela Davis, received international critical acclaim and was named Best Historical Documentary at the National Black Programming Consortium in the US. Her other documentaries include the award-winning KHUSH, the first film to document the lives and experiences of South Asian lesbian and gay people in UK, Canada and India. KHUSH was the recipient of multiple international awards and became a cult classic in India where bootlegged copies created community screenings and opportunities for Indian LGBT people at a time when homosexuality was still illegal in India. Pratibha’s debut narrative feature, NINA’S HEAVENLY DELIGHTS, a rom-com set in Scotland, was released in the UK and US. Her documentary ALICE WALKER: BEAUTY IN TRUTH is the definitive film on this Pulitzer Prize-winning author and was broadcast on American Masters (PBS) and BBC.

A globally recognized filmmaker and human rights activist, Pratibha Parmar's films WARRIOR MARKS and KHUSH helped gain much-needed rights for women and girls as well as contributing to the visibility of marginalized LGBT communities. Her accomplishments have been recognized with multiple awards. In 2017, Pratibha was awarded the ICON award presented by Bagari London Indian Film Festival in Association with the British Film Institute for Outstanding Contribution to Indian and World Cinema. In 2016 she was included in the BBC’s list of 100 inspirational and influential women. Pratibha was awarded the Pink Peacock Award in recognition of exemplary Service to the South Asian Queer Community. She is the proud recipient of the Frameline Film Festival’s Lifetime Achievement Award (US), presented to an individual who has made a significant and outstanding contribution to lesbian and gay media. Pratibha is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Directors Guild of America. (2/24)

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