Born in Flames

New York in a some unspecified future: ten years after the Socialist War of Independence in the USA, equal rights for women are still some way off. Misogyny, sexism, homophobia and racism are the order of the day, even if the women working at the supermarket cash registers or at office desks initially smile happily at the camera. Angry at empty promises, an army of radical women take up arms against the status quo. On the radio stations Phoenix and Ragazza, presenters Isabel and Honey give commentaries on the events – caustic, incantatory, militant – looking right into the camera. Anyone in the audience who feels like they’re being spoken to directly will realize just how startlingly topical BORN IN FLAMES still is. (mg)