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Anarchy in High Heels tells the story of Les Nickelettes, a women's satirical musical theater company from 1970s and 80s San Francisco. They sang, they mocked, they disrupted and they did it in heels. Emerging from the late-night underground of 1970s San Francisco, The Les Nickelettes carved out a space that was entirely their own, where performance became protest and humor carried a sharp, liberating edge. Anarchy in High Heels revisits this fearless collective through a vivid tapestry of archival performance and lived memory, capturing the rhythm, color, and irreverence of a moment when women refused to be sidelined—on stage or off. Before the language of empowerment became familiar, these women were already shaping it in real time through satire, music, and unapologetic presence. Their work wasn't just entertainment; it was collaboration, resistance, and invention, unfolding in a cultural landscape that rarely made room for voices like theirs. The film traces this lineage of creative defiance with warmth and admiration, allowing the echoes of their performances to resonate across generations. What emerges is both a tribute and a rediscovery a portrait of artists who transformed the stage into a space of possibility, where laughter and rebellion could coexist.
- Year03/19/2026 00:00
- Runtime1:27:45
- LanguageEnglish
- CountryUnited States
- Subtitle LanguageEnglish
- AwardsSF DocFest San Franciso May 30, 2026 Bay Area Premiere United States
- Social Media
- DirectorBetsy Newman
- ScreenwriterDenise Larson
- ProducerDebra Pollock, Ronnie Sanlo, Kelly Watson, Valerie Hellmold, Judith Sciford, Denise Larson, Betsy Newman
- FilmmakerBetsy Newman
Anarchy in High Heels tells the story of Les Nickelettes, a women's satirical musical theater company from 1970s and 80s San Francisco. They sang, they mocked, they disrupted and they did it in heels. Emerging from the late-night underground of 1970s San Francisco, The Les Nickelettes carved out a space that was entirely their own, where performance became protest and humor carried a sharp, liberating edge. Anarchy in High Heels revisits this fearless collective through a vivid tapestry of archival performance and lived memory, capturing the rhythm, color, and irreverence of a moment when women refused to be sidelined—on stage or off. Before the language of empowerment became familiar, these women were already shaping it in real time through satire, music, and unapologetic presence. Their work wasn't just entertainment; it was collaboration, resistance, and invention, unfolding in a cultural landscape that rarely made room for voices like theirs. The film traces this lineage of creative defiance with warmth and admiration, allowing the echoes of their performances to resonate across generations. What emerges is both a tribute and a rediscovery a portrait of artists who transformed the stage into a space of possibility, where laughter and rebellion could coexist.
- Year03/19/2026 00:00
- Runtime1:27:45
- LanguageEnglish
- CountryUnited States
- Subtitle LanguageEnglish
- AwardsSF DocFest San Franciso May 30, 2026 Bay Area Premiere United States
- Social Media
- DirectorBetsy Newman
- ScreenwriterDenise Larson
- ProducerDebra Pollock, Ronnie Sanlo, Kelly Watson, Valerie Hellmold, Judith Sciford, Denise Larson, Betsy Newman
- FilmmakerBetsy Newman