Director’s Statement
Almost three years ago, I saw the Resistance Revival Chorus (RRC) perform for the first time. I noticed how the energy in the room seemed to change as I felt my feet start to stomp, my hands start to clap, and my body start to vibrate with the pulsating spirit of their song. Seeing the Resistance Revival Chorus perform is magic; whether it be on the streets in the midst of a protest or on the stage of the Apollo. I knew immediately that to capture the RRC was to document a movement of healing, joy, and progression. Over the course of two years, I, along with my team of almost exclusively all women and non-binary individuals across all North America, have worked in creating a film that captures the chorus’s journey from NYC to its growth in inspiring fellow chapters in Atlanta, San Diego and Riverside, CA all with the message of enacting change, demanding justice, and uplifting our spirits.
Now more than ever, I think our documentary is important in discussing the real tactics activists have used in the past and present in motivating change in a peaceful form of resistance and protest. Earlier this year, we witnessed the desecration of the Capitol, we have continued to experience and chant out the names of those Black lives lost by the hands of police brutality, we have rallied with our targeted Asian American neighbors. There is still much work to be done.
Throughout history, music been used to resist. It’s been used to empower, motivate, demand, and restore. The songs of the Resistance Revival Chorus callback to the movements of the past where violence was met with a melody, and hatred with a hum. These are the songs that are a part of this nation’s progression and relentless quest for freedom and justice for all. The current movement of the RRC shares these songs with the melting pots of large cities to historically conservative towns, to unite in its diverse voices that our country needs to hear in order to grow and heal.
Our goal with this film is to inspire a global movement of RRCs. We hope that viewers see the power in their own voice and gain insight into both the history of protest music within this country, but also how it continues to evolve and enact change to this day.
- Susan
OUR TEAM
SUSAN O’BRIEN - Director & Producer
Susan is a filmmaker whose work’s been featured in film festivals globally, national museums, and online publications. She participated in the 2020 Tribeca and Chanel’s THROUGH HER LENS program with her upcoming short film. Susan creates art to amplify voices of women, the LGBTQIA+ community and marginalized groups.
DASHA KOVA - Producer
Dasha is a global creative producer based in Toronto and NY. Her digital and broadcast work has redefined leading brands – Porsche, XBOX, Thrillist, Refinery29, Converse, Laura Mercier, Cobra Puma, PGA Tour, ABC News, and NYFW. Dasha aims to support equitable spaces by celebrating captivating creative and supporting conversations that empower change.
JILLIAN A. GOLDSTEIN - Producer
Jillian is a documentary producer and content creator based in Brooklyn, NY. She most recently AP’d HBO’s One Nation Under Stress along with two additional feature length documentaries premiering in 2020. She is currently producing a docuseries of shorts profiling artists and the spaces they inhabit. She has helped create content for networks including MTV, HBO, and DiscoveryID.