SDH Captioned
Grades 7 - 12, College, Adults
Directed by Anne de Mare, Kirsten Kelly
Produced by Anne de Mare, Kirsten Kelly,
DVD Purchase $195, Rent $75
US Release Date: 2021
Copyright Date: 2020
DVD ISBN: 1-948745-60-7
Subjects
African-American Studies
American Studies
Animation
Animation
Gender Studies
History
Labor and Work Issues
Oral History
Race and Racism
Sociology
Women's Studies
Awards and Festivals
Jury's Choice Award, Black Maria Film Festival
Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival
American Documentary and Animation Film Festival
St. Louis International Film Festival
Freep Film Festival
Bozeman International Film Festival
Lake County Film Festival
Takes you beyond the iconic "We Can Do It" poster girl to the millions of real-life women who shook the foundations of the American workplace in WWII.
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"This is astounding! A funny, fascinating, and inspiring film." Elizabeth Cobbs, Prof. American History, Texas A&M Univ |
Built entirely by women filmmakers, THE GIRL WITH THE RIVET GUN is an unconventional animated documentary short based on the adventures of three real-life "Rosie the Riveters"—Esther Horne, Susan Taylor King and Mildred Crow Sargent. From vastly different backgrounds, these three women came of age in an America united by war but struggling with divisions of gender, economics and race.
THE GIRL WITH THE RIVET GUN serves as an entry point into a rich, layered, and adventurous rewriting of history as herstory, inspiring conversations about working women everywhere and taking viewers beyond the iconic "We Can Do It" poster girl to the millions of real-life women who shook the foundations of the American workplace—forever changing not only their own lives, but the very perception of what women can do.
Reviews
"The Girl with the Rivet Gun tells Rosie's story in a new and irresistible way. Esther, Susan, and Mildred's wartime adventures come to life in stunning and clever visuals. Their stories will provoke lively discussions about empowerment, racism, sexism, self-fulfillment, labor conflict, femininity, and wartime in secondary and college classrooms. Students will be enchanted and challenged by what they see and hear on screen. A speedy and memorable delight!"
Meghan Winchell, Professor of History, Director of Gender Studies, Nebraska Wesleyan University, Author, Good Girls, Good Food, Good Fun: The Story of USO Hostesses during World War II
"This is astounding! A funny, fascinating, and inspiring film. Students of all backgrounds will delight in the story of how Americans came together to help one another - and make the world we have."
Elizabeth Cobbs, Professor of American History, Texas AandM University, Author, The Hello Girls: America's First Women Soldiers
"The Girl With the Rivet Gun melds photography and oral history with the most riveting animation to explore through the sagas of three actual Rosies the ways that WWII transformed women's consciousness on the home front. This film is short enough to fold into any class and long enough to raise all the big questions on how race, class, and place (urban-rural, North-South) among women impacted the fight for equal wages and dignity on the job."
Eileen Boris, Professor of Feminist Studies, Professor of History, Black Studies, and Global Studies, University of California-Santa Barbara, Author, Making the Women Worker: Precarious Labor and the Fight for Global Standards, 1919-2019
"I absolutely loved The Girl with the Rivet Gun. This is an important educational tool that paints a vivid picture of how women from different backgrounds made powerful contributions to the war effort, illustrates the challenges of factory work, and highlights how these women adjusted to changes in our society."
Marne L. Campbell, Associate Professor, African American Studies, Loyola Marymount University
"This short film captures the drama of women's pathbreaking recruitment into industrial jobs during World War II, drawing on oral histories with three 'Rosies' and vivid images from the era. The clever animation enlivens the women's enduring pride in having contributed to the war effort as well as their memories of struggles to overcome barriers of race, gender and class. Perfect for classroom use!"
Ruth Milkman, Professor of Sociology, Chair of Labor Studies, City University of New York, Author, Immigrant Labor and the New Precariat
"The animation is just as unique as the stories behind it...The figures breathe new life into the women's stories, emphasizing that there's more than one face behind the famous 'We Can Do It' poster girl."
CBS New York
"Seeing The Girl With The Rivet Gun was quite the treat...Beautifully animated."
Katharin Mraz, Reel Chicago
"Unique...creative, beautiful and fun...This new visual storytelling serves an important and very real story."
Laurie Delaire, OC Movie Reviews
"Cleverly presented...I couldn't help but be utterly entranced by it...If you get the chance to see The Girl with the Rivet Gun please do take it."
Susan Omand, The Dreamcage
"Remarkable...Impressive...Provid[es] new understanding of this pivotal time in the transformation of America."
IndieActivity
"Kudos to the filmmakers for keeping the story of 'Rosie' alive."
David Ferguson, Red Carpet Crash
"Truly beautiful...Insightful...A very enjoyable short that I will definitely watch again!"
Rosie Hughes Reviews
"Charming and creative...This all-female production celebrates the resourcefulness, adaptability and ingenuity of the first generation of Rosies as well as their descendants."
Tim Brinkhof, Bubble Blabber
"Compelling personal tales...A great watch...The compositions and arrangements have an experimental/DIY edge...and give the film a lot of interesting flair."
Viddy Well