2001: The birth of an all-girl roller derby revolution begins in Austin, Texas. Starting a revolution ain’t an easy affair. After overcoming countless hurdles to organize, recruit and train, the rowdy rollergirls known as Bad Girl, Good Woman (BGGW) enjoy a smashingly successful first year, only to find a rift forming among the ranks of the 80 women.
Polarized by issues of insurance, finances, and the direction the league should take, disenchanted skaters pull together and collectively bring their grievances to management. Accusations fl y, and emotions run high as the two camps face off. Ultimately, 65 of 80 skaters walk and form their own player-run league. Dealt a near fatal blow, management doesn’t give up. Instead, they recruit and rebuild their league to rebound in dramatic fashion. What emerges from the near-disaster are the Lonestar Rollergirls and the Texas Rollergirls. Both leagues pioneer a modern era of roller derby and inspire thousands of women across the US to follow suit. Shot over a four year period and utilizing both verite footage and interviews, Hell on Wheels documents the creation of modern-era roller derby’s first two leagues. We are currently in post-production on this exciting film project.
Friday, January 4, 2008 – 11:55 PM at San Marco Theatre, Jacksonville