Born in Flames
Lizzie Borden, 1983
90 min, 35mm
Set in an alternate-reality New York in the early 1980s, Born in Flames combines documentary filmmaking with invented narratives to tell the story of a feminist insurgency against the incumbent “socialist democratic” government. After the promise of social progress and equality by the current administration, women and minorities begin to feel even more oppressed and abandoned than before. Competing pirate radio stations provide news to the confused public from different ideological positions within the radical movement, while the government attempts to suppress all alternative media coverage. Anchored by a theme song by the Red Krayola, Born in Flames examines the agendas of two different feminist groups as they strategize, debate, take up arms, and form a Women’s Army. The film swings among various protagonists and political viewpoints, creating an inclusive atmosphere that allows for a larger political discussion to develop. Both a figurative and literal attack on our patriarchal society, Born in Flames is a call to arms for women everywhere.
Following the screening of Born in Flames please join us for an Open Forum discussion during which attendees are invited to express their thoughts, feelings, and reactions in a safe, facilitated environment.
Preserved by Anthology Film Archives with restoration funding by The
Hollywood Foreign Press Association and the Film Foundation.
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