Available screening types
Virtual
In-person
Available until
Jan 01, 2025
Speakers Available
Available in
Worldwide
Brought to you by
Emergence Pictures
About the film
A year in the lives of six members of the Minnesota Roller Derby, as they compete to win the Hydra, the top international prize of the sport. When the star of the team gets injured, will her teammates find their own power? MINNESOTA MEAN is a human drama about the pounding heart of roller derby: powerful, self-sufficient women. It’s a vital and relevant story of triumph, loss, strength, determination, and a search for balance between individuality and community. How do women who pride themselves on their hard-won independence thrive in a sport that requires them to rely on a team? How do they meet the full-time demands of the sport without sacrificing their own dreams for life outside the rink? A meditation on strength: in our bodies, our hearts, our minds, and our friendships.
Genre
Documentary
Runtime
1h 21m
Released
2023
Director
Dawn Mikkelson
Producer
Dawn Mikkelson
Crew
Jim Tittle
Cast
Shiver Me Kimbers, Brickyard, Smoka Hontas, Hurtrude Stein, Diamond Rough, Switch Please
Upcoming screenings
Awards & recognition
Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival
BEST OF FEST
Duluth Superior Film Festival
Northern Voices Award
Florida Film Festival
Official Selection
Cinequest
Official Selection
Sunscreen Film Festival
Official Selection
New Jersey Film Festival
Official Selection
Centre Film Festival
Official Selection
What people are saying
‘"They are a new level of heroine. By the end of the doc, the audience will be rooting for the team as much as their fans onscreen."‘
Jonita Davis
‘"a riotous tribute to the women who create community through rough-and-tumble, high-speed exhileration"‘
Nick Kouhi
‘"vividly portrays victory, defeat, perseverance, determination, and the ongoing quest to balance personal identity and a sense of community."‘
Chris Jones
‘"a portrait of a group of aging, injured and exhausted athletes on the verge of giving up, and determined to go out explosively."‘
Jacob Aloi, Alex V. Cipolle, and Max Sparber
‘"well worthy of your "must-see" list . . . it's a feel-good experience for sports and cinema lovers alike."‘
KPFK Film Club
‘"Minnesota Mean shows us how sometimes change is good as well as scary but when it happens it can bring amazing things to one's life."‘
John D. Ramos