{{short description|2019 Canadian post-apocalyptic science fiction film}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}} {{Use Canadian English|date=March 2021}} {{Infobox film | name = Riot Girls | image = Riot Girls poster.jpg | caption = Film poster | director = Jovanka Vuckovic | producer = Lauren Grant | writer = Katherine Collins | starring = Madison Iseman<br>Paloma Kwiatkowski<br>Munro Chambers<br>Jenny Raven | music = Peter Chapman | cinematography = Celiana Cárdenas | editing = Maureen Grant | studio = Clique Pictures | distributor = Cranked Up Films<br>levelFILM | released = {{film date|2019|07|06|Neuchâtel|df=y}} | runtime = 81 minutes | country = Canada | language = English | budget = }}
'''''Riot Girls''''' is a 2019 Canadian post-apocalyptic science fiction film, directed by Jovanka Vuckovic.
==Plot== Set in the town of Potter's Bluff, where a mysterious virus has killed all the adults and left society entirely in the hands of rival teen gangs, the film stars Madison Iseman and Paloma Kwiatkowski as Nat and Scratch, a lesbian couple who must go behind enemy lines to rescue Nat's brother Jack (Alexandre Bourgeois) after he is captured by the wealthy and powerful West Side gang led by jock Jeremy (Munro Chambers).
==Cast== *Madison Iseman as Nat *Paloma Kwiatkowski as Scratch *Alexandre Bourgeois as Nat's brother Jack *Munro Chambers as Jeremy *Jenny Raven as Caine *Atticus Mitchell as Cracker *Carson MacCormac as Spit
==Production and filming== In September 2016, Clique Pictures announced that Jovanka Vuckovic was to direct the apocalyptic horror film.<ref name=Juvinall>{{cite web|last1=Juvinall|first1=Michael|title=Canadian Director Jovanka Vuckovic To Helm RIOT GIRLS For Clique Pictures!|url=https://www.horrorsociety.com/2016/09/12/canadian-director-jovanka-vuckovic-helm-riot-girls-clique-pictures/|website=Horror Society|date=12 September 2016|accessdate=24 February 2020|archive-date=24 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200224083802/https://www.horrorsociety.com/2016/09/12/canadian-director-jovanka-vuckovic-helm-riot-girls-clique-pictures/|url-status=live}}</ref> With financing procured from Telefilm Canada, Head Gear Films, the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund, the Ontario Media Development Corporation, Search Engine Films, Urban Post Production, She Wolf Films, and the Harold Greenberg Fund, the cast was announced in October 2017, as well as the start of filming.<ref name=Wiseman>{{cite web|last1=Wiseman|first1=Andreas|title=Apocalyptic thriller 'Riot Girls' gets cast, sales deals, Canada shoot (exclusive)|url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/apocalyptic-thriller-riot-girls-gets-cast-sales-deals-canada-shoot-exclusive-/5123327.article|website=Screen Daily|date=16 October 2017|accessdate=24 February 2020|archive-date=24 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200224083800/https://www.screendaily.com/news/apocalyptic-thriller-riot-girls-gets-cast-sales-deals-canada-shoot-exclusive-/5123327.article|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=Reid>{{cite magazine|last1=Reid|first1=Regan|title=Riot Girls gets rolling|url=https://playbackonline.ca/2017/10/20/riot-girls-get-rolling/|magazine=Playback|publisher=Brunico Communications|date=20 October 2017|accessdate=24 February 2020}}</ref>
The film was shot in Parry Sound, Hamilton, Ontario and Toronto.<ref name=Bissonette>{{cite web|last1=Bissonette|first1=Sarah|url=https://www.parrysound.com/whatson-story/7679908-parry-sound-is-potter-s-bluff-in-riot-girls-movie/|title=Parry Sound is Potter's Bluff in Riot Girls movie|website=ParrySound.com|date=27 October 2017|access-date=23 February 2020|archive-date=23 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200223225501/https://www.parrysound.com/whatson-story/7679908-parry-sound-is-potter-s-bluff-in-riot-girls-movie/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=Reid /> XYZ Films handled sales for North America, with Alliance Media Partners in charge of international.<ref name=Reid /><ref name=AMP>{{cite web|title=Riot Girls|url=https://www.amp-film.com/screeners/riot_girls.html|website=Alliance Media Partners International|date=2018|accessdate=24 February 2020|archive-date=24 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200224091709/https://amp-film.com/screeners/riot_girls.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> In January 2019, Cranked Up Films acquired the U.S. distribution rights from XYZ Films.<ref name=Kay>{{cite web|last1=Kay|first1=Jeremy|title=XYZ Films sells 'Riot Girls' to Cranked Up Films (exclusive)|url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/xyz-films-sells-riot-girls-to-cranked-up-films-exclusive/5135803.article|website=Screen Daily|date=14 January 2019|accessdate=24 February 2020|archive-date=24 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200224075727/https://www.screendaily.com/news/xyz-films-sells-riot-girls-to-cranked-up-films-exclusive/5135803.article|url-status=live}}</ref>
== Reception ==
=== Critical response === {{Rotten Tomatoes prose|90|7.2|21|ref=yes|access-date=July 3, 2023}} {{Metacritic film prose|59|6|ref=yes|access-date=2 July 2023}}
''The Globe and Mail'''s Anne T. Donahue gave the film 3.5/4 stars, writing, "Thanks to Iseman and Kwiatkowski's heartwarming chemistry, Collins's sharp dialogue and Vuckovic's pointed direction, you find yourself running in step with two young women who are smart, interesting, brave and brilliantly capable."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Donahue |first=Anne T. |date=2019-09-19 |title=Review: Postapocalyptic thriller Riot Girls offers a sharp warning against fascism |language=en-CA |work=The Globe and Mail |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/film/reviews/article-post-apocalyptic-thriller-riot-girls-offers-a-sharp-warning-against/ |access-date=2023-07-02 |archive-date=5 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210805120231/https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/film/reviews/article-post-apocalyptic-thriller-riot-girls-offers-a-sharp-warning-against/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Katie Walsh of the ''Los Angeles Times'' wrote, "despite its audacious premise and style, ''Riot Girls'' feels at times underwritten, a few of the performances under-baked. Kwiatkowski and Iseman carry the film, but such a sprawling world is heavy lifting. Nevertheless, Vuckovic ably showcases her fetchingly energetic aesthetic."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Walsh |first=Katie |date=2019-09-12 |title=Review: 'Riot Girls' takes the apocalypse on a wild ride, with teen punks vs. jocks |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2019-09-12/riot-girls-review-madison-iseman |access-date=2023-07-02 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US |archive-date=17 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230517055442/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2019-09-12/riot-girls-review-madison-iseman |url-status=live }}</ref>
John DeFore of ''The Hollywood Reporter'' wrote, "Appealing cinematography and engaging use of split-frame comic-book transitions are the closest the film comes to the excitement of 1990s DIY scene-making; the rest is just derivative genre filler."<ref name="DeFore">{{cite news |last1=DeFore |first1=John |date=9 September 2019 |title='Riot Girls': Film Review |work=The Hollywood Reporter |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/riot-girls-1238343 |access-date=23 February 2020 |archive-date=23 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200223225504/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/riot-girls-1238343 |url-status=live }}</ref>
=== Award nominations === The film received five Canadian Screen Award nominations at the 8th Canadian Screen Awards in 2020, for Achievement in Art Direction/Production Design (Jennifer Morden and Danny Haeberlin), Achievement in Make-Up (Brandi Boulet and Chris Bridges), Achievement in Hair (Dann Campbell), Achievement in Music – Original Score (Peter Chapman), and Achievement in Music – Original Song (Peter Chapman and Leslie Seaforth for "We Run the World").<ref name=R-C>{{cite web|url=https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1527585/song-of-names-the-twentieth-century-antigone-prix-ecrans-canadiens|title=Écrans canadiens : Song of Names, The Twentieth Century et Antigone en tête des nominations|website=Radio-Canada|date=18 February 2020|language=French|access-date=23 February 2020|archive-date=19 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200219051435/https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/1527585/song-of-names-the-twentieth-century-antigone-prix-ecrans-canadiens|url-status=live}}</ref>
==See also== *Lord of the Flies *Riot grrrl
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb title|6049106}} * {{rottentomatoes|riot_girls}} * {{Metacritic film}}
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Category:2019 films Category:2019 science fiction films Category:2019 LGBTQ-related films Category:Canadian teen LGBTQ-related films Category:LGBTQ-related science fiction films Category:Lesbian-related films Category:English-language Canadian films Category:Films shot in Ontario Category:2019 English-language films Category:Canadian post-apocalyptic films Category:2019 Canadian films Category:English-language science fiction films