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a fun tiny side project wins big in short film festivals

erinknitis

Picture it: Summer 2023, my friend Switchblade (Mary) & I are sitting in a diner in Queens, catching up & laughing a lot, when she mentions there's a little film festival she thinks we should partner on to make a short film, just for funsies. So we went for it -- I wrote, she animated & directed, & "Skate Fast, Turn Left" was born!


Switchblade animated it, interspersing current video & photos of us with historic photos & video stills of us & many of our fav derby peeps in action (I retired 10 YEARS AGO -- wow), so it was bittersweet. In VO, the two of us talk about aging & loss, & how we're hopeful things will bounce back...while also realizing it isn't up to us to ensure these groups carry on.


A couple months of our efforts, distilled into 1 minute & 14 seconds of film. Now our lil' baby's out in the world, it's been screened all over the world, AND it's won several film festival awards. Very cool.


LOG LINE

Two friends, Fifi Fleshwound (that me!) & Little Mary Switchblade (that Mary!), have a quick conversation about their roller derby years....


Created for Things Took A Turn 2023: At the End of the World, an animation anthology that challenges artists of marginalized genders to create new animated short stories by twisting familiar narratives.



LAURELS and FESTIVALS (so far!)

World Premiere (online): Things Took a Turn, Jan 1, 2024. In-person screening, Feb 29, 2024.

Manhattan Premiere: NYU Sports Film Festival, April 26-28, 2024

International Premiere: Silver Screen Film Festival, Prague, April 25, 2024

Brooklyn Premiere: Coney Island Film Festival, May 3-5, 2024

Transparent Film Festival, NYC, June 13, 2024

Live Screenings

One Minute Film Festival, Clermont, FL, July 13, 2024

Labocine issue August 2024: Olympic Dreams

WIA NYC Animation Festival, NYC, August 17, 2024

Skate or Die Film Fest, Rockstar Roller Derby, Pottstown, PA, October 4, 2024

Spark Micro-Short Film Festival, Buffalo, NY, January 18, 2025

Official Selection, Cinema338, Bushwick Film Festival, Oct 24, 2024

LA Punk Film Festival, November 25, 2024

International Sport Film Festival, Napoli, Italy, November 25th 2024

Best Micro-Short, Under Five Minute Film Festival, Nov 2025 https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/audience-feedback-skate-fast


CREDITS

SKATE FAST, TURN LEFT

by Little Mary Switchblade and Fifi Fleshwound


Written by Fifi Fleshwound/Erin Knitis

Directed by Little Mary Switchblade/Mary Hawkins


Featuring Photographs by

David Dyte

JJ Knitis

Manish Gosalia

Sean Hale

Steph Zakas

Suzy Hotrod

Tyler Shaw

Brian Stillman


Music Supervisor: Suzy Hotrod/Jean Schwarzwalder

“Boom! Dynamite” by The Courettes

“Skate to Hell” by Kissy Kamikaze


Featured teams include

Gotham Roller Derby

Gotham All-Stars • Gotham Juniors • Bronx Gridlock • Brooklyn Bombshells • Manhattan Mayhem • Queens of Pain

Suburbia Roller Derby

Suburban Brawl All Stars • Botoxic Avengers • Backyard Bullies • Country Clubbers

Canada World Cup All-Stars, Denver Roller Derby, Hellions of Troy, London Roller Derby, Long Island Roller Rebels, Montréal Roller Derby, Philly Roller Derby, Rose City Rollers, Stockholm Roller Derby

Team Zebra

The Plowstoppers


Special Thanks

Lillian Gash/Rimma Dreyband

Brian Stillman

JJ Knitis

Yebo & Max at Crunchy Frog Recordings


Copyright © 2023 Mary Hawkins & Erin Knitis


Photos, league names, team names & logos are copyrights of their respective photographers & leagues.


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