#HOTDOCS: “FANNY: THE RIGHT TO ROCK”

By George Kozera

During my university years in Montreal, oh so long ago, I impulsively picked up an album by the all-girl heavy rock group Fanny based solely on who produced the album. At home, needle to the vinyl, and I became obsessed after hearing the first track. I wasn’t their only fan. FANNY: THE RIGHT TO ROCK opens with a David Bowie quote: “Fanny is not one of the most important female bands of all time; they are one of the most important bands of all time, period. Their achievements are not only important to women, and their hard work is not only impressive for female musicians.”

Whereas in essence this is a straightforward “whatever happened to” Documentary, I was deeply enthralled throughout this 92 minute tribute to a band that were not only groundbreaking, they inspired future all-girl rock bands like The Go- Go’s, The Runaways and The Bangles. Fanny, headlined by two Filipina sisters, broke all musical boundaries while fighting prejudices they experienced, whether they be race, gender or sexuality-related. With interviews from a slew of musical icons (Bonnie Raitt, Richard Perry Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott to name a few), FANNY: THE RIGHT TO ROCK is a must-see.