Think of everything you know about sexuality, racial discrimination, music, and women, and throw it out the window. Fanny: The Right to Rock is a documentary that looks into the history of Fanny as the group reunites to record a new album 50 years later. These extraordinary women prove that music can cross all borders, reuniting people from different cultures and with different ideologies.
Fanny was a rock group started in the 1960s in Sacramento. This all-female group stayed under the radar for 50 years, later becoming one of the best things to happen to the music industry.
The late 1900s were not kind to people of color, but that didn't stop Fanny. Two Filipina-American sisters, June and Jean Millington, got together with their friends to play music. Little did these women know they would become a world-renowned band, amassing fans worldwide. They were also the first all-female group to release an LP.
Fanny: The Right to Rock conducts interviews with the band members, relaying their experience of what it was like to be part of the music industry while being open about their sexuality. Two of the band members, Alice de Buhr and June Millington, were open lesbians and did nothing to hide their sexuality, which some credit for being part of the reason why they didn’t get as much airplay as they deserved.
The world learns more about Fanny through archival footage interspersed with footage of their new LP and the processes behind creating it. The documentary also shows footage of various musicians and celebrities, such as David Bowie, the Go-Gos, Bonnie Raitt, and more, as they describe how their music impacted their lives and careers.
It is an insightful look into the undercurrents of the music industry and what it takes to make it, and how these four amazing women beat the odds to make a name for themselves.
Viewers are also introduced to the rock’n’roll world, how it was then and how it has changed to this day. You also get to see the humor and the spirit that has carried these women through, the hardships they faced, and how Fanny has proven itself to be a force to reckon with.
It is a wonderful documentary to watch for those looking to learn more about racism and sexism in the late 60s and 70s. The music is also a force of its own and might end up becoming your new favorite music.
Can this film be used in a library education program?
Fanny: The Right To Rock is the perfect film to add to library education programs. It explores multiple genres surrounding music, LGBTQ+ rights, and racism.
Under what category or film collection can this movie be ranked?
It falls under the documentary/biography collection as it revolves around Fanny's rise to popularity. We see their struggles and what it took to get to where they are now.
What college major can this documentary be best for?
Fanny: The Right To Rock is a documentary that can benefit college majors studying art and music, human rights, and those looking to learn more about the LGBTQ+ revolution from the 1960s till now.