YBCA and Jesse Hawthorne Ficks present “Grrrl Rockers of the 1980s” September 13, 2008

THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE SCREEN: BAY AREA FILM CURATORS INVADE YBCA

Part of Bay Area Now 5

“I’m trying something different for Bay Area Now. In recent years there has been fantastic creative energy from both new and established local curators and festivals, all of them existing on shoestring budgets. From street-level community-based organizations, to avant-garde presenters, to obsessed film buffs boldly presenting some of the strangest cult cinema around. Our six invited guests, who will curate screenings exclusively for presentation here, are Jesse Hawthorne Ficks, Oddball Films, Queer Women of Color Media Arts Project, DocFest, kino21 and Peaches Christ.” – Joel Shepard, Film/Video Curator

Jesse Hawthorne Ficks presents “Grrrl Rockers of the 1980s”
STARSTRUCK
BY CLAUDE KERVEN
Kicking off the triple-bill is this “ABC Afterschool Special,” confronting a high school grrrl's dilemma: Either work a summer factory job alongside her mom or follow her dream of becoming a singer. Lynn Ahrens of Schoolhouse Rock fame wrote the original songs that Times Square star Trini Alvarado performs. (1981, 45 min, 16mm)

TIMES SQUARE
BY ALLAN MOYLE
Heavily censored by the studio to hide it's lesbian undertones, this quintessential "Grrrl Rocker" flick follows two punks as they run away from a mental institution, fall in love, fight the man and form a band (The Sleaze Girls!) (1980, 111 min). Preceded by a bunch of Baadasssss-Babe trailers.

BREAKING GLASS
BY BRIAN GIBSON
The evening concludes with this forgotten "Brit-Grrrl Rocker" masterpiece. Hazel O'Connor, who wrote and performed the entire soundtrack, is downright stunning in this terrifyingly relevant punk-morality tale. Even fans of the era's harshest social commentary will leave the theatre with their jaws ripped wide-open, complete with the original ending never before seen in the US! (1980, 104 min, 35mm) Preceded by a few more legendary trailers.

Plus, trivia and giveaways! Ticket includes admission to all three films! Program notes by Jesse Hawthorne Ficks!

Official Website: http://www.ybca.org