The Punk Singer (2013)
89%RT Audience Score: 83%
Awards & Nominations: 1 win & 6 nominations
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
The Punk Singer” is a must-watch for anyone who wants to learn about the Riot Grrrl scene and the iconic Kathleen Hanna. It’s not just a documentary, it’s a love letter to feminism and punk rock. The film does a great job of capturing the excitement and passion of Hanna’s music and activism, and it’s a rewarding and positive experience for anyone who watches it. Plus, who doesn’t love a good zine-like construction?
Production Company(ies)
Universal Pictures, Studio Canal, Working Title Films,
Distributor
IFC Films
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
MPAA / Certificate
Not Rated
Year of Release
2014
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:1.78 : 1
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Runtime:1h 20m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Nov 29, 2013 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 25, 2014
Genre(s)
Documentary/Biography/Music
Keyword(s)
documentary, biography, music, Kathleen Hanna, Bikini Kill, Le Tigre, The Julie Ruin, riot grrrl, feminism, women’s issues, punk rock, zines, incendiary lyrics, interviews, critics, admirers, Sini Anderson, Gwen Bialic, Tamra Davis, directed by Sini Anderson, produced by Sini Anderson, Gwen Bialic, Tamra Davis, written by Sini Anderson, starring Kathleen Hanna, Corin Tucker, Allison Victoria-Wolfe, Ann Powers, Carrie Brownstein, Joan Jett, reviewed by Stef Schwartz, Laina Dawes, Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, Simran Hans, Jenni Miller, Jason Bailey, Brent McKnight, Bernard Boo, Leigh Clark, Ren Jender, Morgan Rojas, MPAA rating, box office performance, budget, streaming, theaters, rent/buy, audience score, critic consensus, runtime, distributor, original language
Worldwide gross: $146,000
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $182,463
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,946
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 19,898
US/Canada gross: $122,742
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $153,396
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,588
US/Canada opening weekend: $24,729
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $30,905
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,363
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Corin Tucker – self
Allison Victoria-Wolfe – self
Ann Powers – self
Carrie Brownstein – self
Joan Jett – self
Sini Anderson – director, producer
Gwen Bialic – producer
Tamra Davis – producer
Director(s)
Sini Anderson
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
Sini Anderson, Gwen Bialic, Tamra Davis
Film Festivals
Sundance, Berlin, South by Southwest
Awards & Nominations
1 win & 6 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (68) | Top Critics (33) | Fresh (62) | Rotten (6)
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.
June 14, 2021
Stef Schwartz
Autostraddle
TOP CRITIC
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.
January 15, 2021
Laina Dawes
Bitch Media
TOP CRITIC
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.
August 25, 2018
Alexandra Heller-Nicholas
The Blue Lenses
TOP CRITIC
The film, with its zine-like construction, is a whistle-stop tour of the fun stuff, of Hanna’s highs, and above all, a personal portrait of one girl’s ambition to create a space for herself in the front.
August 1, 2017
Simran Hans
DOX
TOP CRITIC
It is a love letter to Kathleen Hanna, to feminism, and to the fans, but it’s also just a damn good movie.
June 9, 2017 | Rating: 9/10
Jenni Miller
Film.com
TOP CRITIC
Both a captivating personal story and a history of a moment – as the best rock documentaries are.
June 21, 2016
Jason Bailey
Flavorwire
TOP CRITIC
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.
July 9, 2020 | Rating: A-
Brent McKnight
The Last Thing I See
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.
April 9, 2019 | Rating: 8.3/10
Bernard Boo
Way Too Indie
The Punk Singer is a rewarding and positive experience.
March 21, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
Leigh Clark
CineVue
Sini Anderson’s The Punk Singer is all about music and politics: feminism and women, while focusing on one person, Kathleen Hanna, formerly of the bands Bikini Kill, Le Tigre and current front-woman of The Julie Ruin.
March 14, 2019
Ren Jender
Bitch Flicks
The Punk Singer is a great documentary that should be recognized for its quality filmmaking and message.
November 22, 2018
Morgan Rojas
Cinemacy
For an uncompromising and incendiary performer who commands your full attention, “The Punk Singer” gives Hanna the spotlight she deserves.
November 22, 2018
Stephen Saito
Moveable Fest…
Plot
The Punk Singer is a documentary that 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.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The Punk Singer features interviews with Kathleen Hanna herself, as well as other critics and admirers of her work.
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