Home Run for Barrymore and Roller Derby at Toronto

I am thrilled about the great review of Drew Barrymore's directorial debut "Whip It" which premiered last night at the Toronto International Film Festival. This is not only a success for Barrymore as a director, but for Ellen Page, the rest of the cast, the roller derby grassroots phenomenon worldwide, and most importantly, for the confidence and sisterhood of young girls everywhere who are encouraged to "Find Your Tribe." I feel like a proud sibling. Er... sister.

(last summer at a casting session for Whip It in Austin)

The film's story, based on the league I skated with for 3 years in Austin, TX, the TXRD Lonestar Rollergirls, as well as Barrymore's directorial execution and casting, takes so much of who we are as a community, much of what we skate and fight for, and brings it to the screen with all the love and spirit a little roller girl could ask for. Can you imagine the pride of the original She-E-O's who started this a decade ago? (Check out this article I wrote about the She-E-O's for Derby Gal Magazine a couple years ago). I know they couldn't possibly imagine the force with which their idea would take off, nor that it would ever, ever, reach as many women as it will now with the worldwide exposure of this film. April, Anya, Nancy, Amanda, and Heather - I salute you, I adore you, I am so insanely proud of you i might explode! And not just to you, but to all the girls in the league, everyone who has supported the league putting in years of hard work with no pay, nights building the track (Doc, Houston, Floyd), folding merch (Ginjure, Sissy), hours and hours of board meetings (Varuca, Chola, SMJ - who is it now?), innumerous obstacles, news articles, documentaries, and tv shows that sort-of captured what we've been doing but not really, your vision has finally come of age, found it's place, and slid into home base. Bravo, roller sisters everywhere. Bravo! Let the backlash begin!!! muwahahahahaha. The moment I see a little girl with shoe polish on her face, fishnet gloves, a sparkle helmet, and Barbie skates on her feet in Singapore, I am sending you a picture because this shit will be WORLDWIDE!

xoxo

love and bruises,

Lucky Harm

#00 - CHERRY BOMBS FOREVER!!