User reviews

Fierce, feminist and punk film showing the absolute riot that the rebel dykes were living in 80s London. A desperately needed piece of lesbian history and a reminder of how much lesbians have done for the LGBTQ+ community.

Its a fun and raunchy documentary, that doesn't shy away from the tougher aspects of being queer.

Amazing mix of original footage most from the 80's with interviews, music and animation. Mainly about the people and personalities of the Chain Reaction S&M club in London, but also has an interesting background of the Greenham Common protest and Thatcherism that overlaps with the lesbian lives.

I loved this film. Made me wish I was born 10 years earlier or at least made it to London instead of Manchester in 1990. There is a great use of some gritty footage and some fun funky animation. It's such an important story to tell and it is told very well, in the style of the Rebel Dykes themselves.

Punk roots, fierce feminism, S&M versus political anti-pornography feminists, Greenham Common, raw music, squats, lesbian activism and Clause 28. So many memories of coming out and the sexual politics of the time. It's very heartening for the film to address racism and transphobia and to feature black and trans dykes within the scene.

Thanks for making the film and to Rebel Dykes for paving the way.

I was watching Rebel Dykes, a documentary part animated film on Amazon BFI the other day. I really enjoyed it and I improved my knowledge of lesbian 80's culture by about 99%. Directed by Harri with Siân A. Williams, i I loved the way it was put together with all the home footage, warts and all. It gave it a veracity and immediacy that helped fix the period and the way in which lesbians expressed themselves at that particular moment in time. The Rebel Dykes made me think of Marlon Brando's motorcycle gang in The Wild One. I think the word lesbian sounds a little formal, even twee perhaps - like finding a Marks and Spencer label on the back of an unfashionable item of clothing, somehow safe and middle of the road. Dykes i suppose has connotations of abuse, mainly from men, but Rebel Dykes comes across as wild and fierce - an Amazonian image if you like? If we must have labels then that's just my opinion of their aesthetics, so i hope no one takes them to heart, my not being a woman or a dyke.

It was interesting to see the differing perspectives from various factions on how they wanted to be perceived back then, and how the influences of both feminism and punk came in to play. I remember the Thatcher clamp down on gay culture and doing an anti Clause 28 cartoon for City Life magazine myself at that time.

It helped me understand a history that i didn't really know about, which is always a good thing and how people have struggled for the rights they have won and still have to fight for - it was inspirational, entertaining and had a banging soundtrack to boot. Watch it and educate yourself.

Rough and ready with a massive heart, the film is not only a fascinating piece of social history but also really great fun to watch. You'll wish you were there in the 1980s with the gals and bois of the Bell, Chain Reaction and the other pre-queer club nights and venues of a lost London. The film is also testament to the power of crowd funding and the resilience and resourcefulness of filmmakers who work independently on tiny budgets across many months and years to turn their grand passion into something which can be shared with audiences around the world. Rebel Dykes has shown at film festivals, won prizes, been in cinemas and now on television. Bravo ladies!

This film was amazing. The combination of animation and live action interviews with the women involved in the movement was amazing. The story of these women was so unknown to me I found it moving and revelatory. The prejudice they faced was horrendous and their bravery and activism and commitment to hedonism and activism was amazing. Highly recommend.

An engaging watch, Rebel Dykes captures the reflections and accounts of lesbians who refused to embrace traditional stereotypes in order to express their own identities and instead kickstarted their own scene and fought for queer rights. With the instigators discussing their experiences of coming out and finding their tribe, plus the use of photographs, wonderful animation and eye-popping footage from haunts like The Bell and the infamous Chain Reaction club, a vital piece of queer history has been captured. It is no wonder that this film has had the reception it truly deserves, and will continue to astound and inspire.

Phenomenal folk feature in this incredible documentary, there's so much to take in, this is sapphic must-watch, then watch again. Love that there's moments of honesty from one-time separatists and conscious showing of evolution to an ever more inclusive community. All the dykes are here, these were intersectional feminists before Crenshaw's term became a buzzword, there's a real feeling of rebellion and a reminder that we still need revolt. Definitely some nostalgia for those who were there, makes me wish I was too - instead, I'm grateful these people did what they did & still do, I didn't know it then but they were the adults I needed when I spent my teens under s28, and now I can only hope I'm anywhere near the adult young dykes & other lgbtqia folk need, seen or not. Brilliant. 88.