Cool Hunting

Most reviews of the 2007 documentary "Girls Rock," might mention it's a tearjerker (it is) or praise it for being uplifting (also true), but none so far mention the overwhelming urge you will get to take out your checkbook to support the cause. Arne Johnson and Shane King (two seasoned SF-based documentarians and longtime pals) tell the story of four girls, all dealing with their own struggles in adolescence and gender, over the course of their time at Portland, OR's Rock Camp for Girls. The film deftly relates their struggles and giggles, unapologetically delving into the issues without preaching and with surprising honesty.

Liz Canning's cut-and-paste style animation make statistics and facts entertaining while a soundtrack—loaded with the indie faves you'd expect including Bikini Kill, Sonic Youth, The Blow, Rainier Maria, The Donnas, Low and many more—drives the point home. With a mix of verité footage, intimate interviews and performances, the filmmaking style is loose and a little raw (in a good way). What it might lack in polish (which is not much), it makes up for with solid editing.

We highly recommend you check it out for yourself. To find out screening dates and locations, check out their site. (You may want to check their blog also as it seems to be updated more regularly.) Also, donate!