The Punk Singer

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The Punk Singer

2013

1h 21m

Documentary

Biography

Music

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

91%

Tomatometer

68 Reviews

83%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

Filmmaker Sini Anderson explores the life and career of punk rocker Kathleen Hanna, the Bikini Kill frontwoman who became a pioneer of the "riot grrrl" movement of the 1990s.

Critics Consensus

It verges on hagiography, but given the deeply compelling nature of its subject's story, The Punk Singer can be forgiven its lack of objectivity.

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Stef Schwartz

Autostraddle

Jun 14, 2021

What was most refreshing, though, was getting to see sides of Hanna's personality that aren't always immediately apparent from interviews and stage banter.

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Laina Dawes

Bitch Media

Jan 15, 2021

In terms of providing a historical narrative of the Riot Grrl scene, The Punk Singer does an adequate, yet rushed job within an 80-minute film.

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Alexandra Heller-Nicholas

The Blue Lenses

Aug 25, 2018

While exciting for the sheer range of archival visual material it employs to tell Hanna's story, The Punk Singer is even more significant for capturing just how relevant the ideological pulse of Riot Grrrl is today.

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Brent McKnight

The Last Thing I See

Jul 9, 2020

A-

What the "The Punk Singer" does best is capture the excitement, passion, and the conviction that is still evident on those records, and that you saw at those live shows.

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Bernard Boo

Way Too Indie

Apr 9, 2019

8.3/10

Hanna is shining symbol of feminist activism, ungodly perseverance, and artistic originality, and The Punk Singer captures her life and career to this point terrifically.

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Leigh Clark

CineVue

Mar 21, 2019

4/5

The Punk Singer is a rewarding and positive experience.

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Georgan G

@RT98616417 Oct 8, 2023

Not being a punk rock lover Kathleen Hanna was new to me. And what a woman! It was her feminism that really got me, however.

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Dec 18, 2016

An intimate and fascinating documentary about Bikini Kill lead singer and feminist activist Kathleen Hanna.

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Jun 29, 2016

Conventional documentary that's probably very interesting if you are aware of the singer, less so if not.

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Oct 31, 2015

I had listened to Bikini Kill in the 90's but really didn't pay much attention. Hanna's story unfolds chronologically and gains momentum as it progresses. In the end you feel how stromg and beautiful she truly is.

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Oct 3, 2015

Very good documentary.

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Jun 21, 2015

Very interesting documentary of late 80s/90s punk singer Kathleen Hanna. It also sheds light on why she stopped performing.

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Sini Anderson

Director

Kathleen Hanna

Self

Corin Tucker

Self

Allison Victoria-Wolfe

Self

Ann Powers

Self

Carrie Brownstein

Self

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Synopsis

Filmmaker Sini Anderson explores the life and career of punk rocker Kathleen Hanna, the Bikini Kill frontwoman who became a pioneer of the "riot grrrl" movement of the 1990s.

Director: Sini Anderson
Producer: Sini Anderson, Gwen Bialic, Tamra Davis
Distributor: IFC Films
Genre: Documentary, Biography, Music
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Nov 29, 2013, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $121.4K
Runtime: 1h 21m

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