Rise Above is a feature film directed and produced by Tracy Flannigan that documents the all women queercore punk band Tribe 8. It chronicles live performances, candid moments of their lives at work and on the road, and the controversy at the Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival, an all-women’s music festival, that landed them in a quagmire of protest and praise from a fiercely divided crowd. It also captures the truly funny and warm people behind the music and the politics.
The film has won many awards, including Best Documentary at Frameline, San Francisco’s Film Festival, Audience Award at the Hamburg Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, and the award for Outstanding Emerging Talent at OUTfest, the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Film Festival.
Artist and musician Leslie Mah, whose work is featured in the exhibition Mah Jei Mei, was a member of Tribe 8 and offered to make Rise Above available for a screening during the exhibition’s run. The Art Center is excited to partner with Mesa Theater to present Rise Above.
Praise
“Filmmaker Tracy Flannigan gets it all in close-up, but also captures the rich and complex life stories of these women, whose lives take on political weight based on sheer authenticity…” LA Weekly
“…their lyrics are confrontational and political, but also cathartic…exudes the sheer exhilaration of individuals who have learned how to live liberated, fulfilling lives.” Los Angeles Times
“A suitably raw, wholly engaging documentary….offers a unique perspective on the lesbian community’s own shift …to a more encompassing embrace of rebellious fringe elements…” Variety