Film Review: Raging Grannies--The Action League

When it comes to aging creatively, the Bay Area Raging Grannies can take a collective curtsy. Now, at last, the antics of these tireless activists for justice can be seen on the big screen. Producer/Director Pam Walton ("Call to Witness", "Out in Suburbia") followed the Grannies for several years, recording their lives of action on the streets, in their homes, and even during one of their hospitalizations.

In a recent interview Walton called the Grannies "pushy, noisy, active older women making a difference." But that is small praise compared to some of accolades for both the Grannies and the documentary about them seen in the press recently.

If you've somehow missed seeing a Raging Granny skit, singalong or other street performance since they formed eight years ago, you probably don't watch Bay Area TV news and never pick up a newspaper, because they are frequently on evening news on all local channels. They have debated Bill O'Reilly on FOX, are frequently in the pages of the San Francisco Chronicle vamping in colorful costumes. They've also spoken and sung out about issues near and dear to them in the New York Times and USA Today, and in 2005 they were even used by Rolling Stone magazine as an example of Bush era big brother tactics gone awry, when that publication reported on the case of the California National Guard spying on the Grannies.

"Raging Grannies--the Action League" recounts in interviews, photos, and media coverage the whole National Guard v. Grannies story, a chapter in the peace movement of our age that may well go down in history. But Walton's film does so much more. She was on the scene and captured many Granny actions as they happened in the years since she first met them at a rally in Palo Alto. She first caught up with them there when they were holding a mock funeral for free elections, when Bush was re-elected in 2004 (an outcome that is still one of the world's great mysteries, the Grannies say). Walton spotted the Grannies walking down the street with a cardboard coffin representing the "death of free elections" on their way to Congresswoman Anna Eshoo’s office, to demand that she object to the electoral vote count.

Walton filmed the Grannies' action that day and they showed up in her movie "Grassroots: Contesting Ohio". But the seasoned director knew there was much to be discovered about these women, aged in their 50's through their 90's, and she talked the Grannies into letting her ride along to their "gigs". Eventually she found her way into their hearts and homes where she was able to delve more deeply into their personal histories and find out what makes a granny a "Raging" granny.

After filming the Grannies facing down military recruiters, getting arrested for trespassing, debating with Minutemen vigilantes, and more, Walton wrapped up the movie just in time for its premiere at Cinequest Film Festival in San Jose where it opened to a sell-out audience in March. Local papers the San Jose Mercury and Palo Alto Weekly put a spotlight on the film, and the Bay Area NBC affiliate KNTV did an evening news segment about the movie, designating it "Bay Area Proud." National publication Curve Magazine said the movie "captures these kick-ass women in action with insight into who they are, where they came from, and why they set aside their knitting to make the world a better place. It's an inspiring, touching call to action.."

"Raging Grannies: The Action League" won a coveted Mature Media Award. And it has now been selected for San Francisco's International LGBT Film Festival, Frameline 33--not surprising because the Grannies have been dressing as brides and showing up on the steps of the California Supreme Court and elsewhere in their dedication to overturning Proposition 8 that banned gay marriage in California. Even the staunchly conservative San Francisco Examiner says, "Come meet the outrageous Raging Grannies at their San Francisco film premiere." Pam Walton will be there in person to answer questions, and the word is out...the Grannies themselves will make an appearance to answer any of those personal questions you've been wondering about...if you still have any after seeing details of their lives exposed in Walton's deep-delving film!

************

See "Raging Grannies: The Action League" on Saturday June 27th in the Victoria Theatre, 2961 "16th" Street, San Francisco at 11:00 am. Ticket prices range from $7.00 to $8.00.

To purchase tickets online: http://www.frameline.org/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=1776&fid=45