The Grrlyshow is an independent, 18 minute film by Kara Herold that explores the development of the “girly zine” subculture. Zines are independently produced and distributed, homemade reading materials typically covering alternative subjects that are not printed by mainstream media. “Grrly” is typically associated with the Riot Grrrl movement of the 1990s, in which punk rock was used as the medium to disseminate feminist messages of empowerment and political activism. The trailer and film intersperse first person, head-shot interviews with clips from the zines and 1950’s television-style vignettes.

discussion

How are zines different from commercial, mainstream magazines? What are some of the benefits of and some of the problems with publishing a zine rather than a mainstream magazines?

What is the effect of mixing the interviews of the real women with the 50’s style television vignettes? How do you feel about the way the film cuts back and forth between them?

Do you think that zine culture can still exist in an online world? Are there online publications that you read or watch that resemble zines?