In this PBS-aired Independent Lens documentary, co-directors Joanna Sokolowski and Kate Trumbull-Lavalle profile the Ovarian Psycos, a Latina activist bicycle brigade based in East Los Angeles. To provide context, the filmmakers include excerpts from archival films and news stories about Latino activism in the area. Xela de la X, founder of the Psycos, is a rapper and single mother. Andi Xoch and Joss the Boss are original members, while 21-year-old Evie is new to the group. Mothers weigh in here, with one wanting more for her daughter than cleaning jobs, and another taking exception to the explicit language that the brigade uses to promote their activities. In structure, the leadership resembles the Black Panthers, which isn't completely surprising since they take inspiration from the Brown Berets, a Latino response to the Panthers. Author Maylei Blackwell (¡Chicana Power!), the film's adviser, notes that the Psycos also draw from riot grrrl and gang culture. On the night of each full moon, the women ride through the more dangerous parts of the city, spurring criticism from all sides, including male observers who feel excluded, and children—like Xela's 9-year-old daughter—who don't feel their mothers are home enough. By the end, one woman has moved up through the ranks, while two others have curtailed their involvement, but all have gained confidence from interactions with women just as eager to embrace their culture as they are to escape the oppressive poverty and patriarchal social system. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (K. Fennessy)
Ovarian Psycos
(2016) 72 min. DVD: $89: public libraries, $395: colleges & universities. Women Make Movies. PPR. Volume 32, Issue 5
Ovarian Psycos
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