Folder made to hold college tour press release and letter. Color Xeroxed paper, 1996. 11″ x 17″, folded in half. Designed by Miranda July and Julia Bryan-Wilson.
Text from folder made for college tour press materials:
“Big Miss Moviola
The National Chainletter Distribution Network for Women Film Makers presents:
10 Barely Seen Lady-Made Movies and The Universal Premiere of the Docudrama Shot Tonight
Starring: You, The Lady Glitterati.
The screening will be followed by a gripping conversation on the theme of THE UNSEEN-UNDERWATER MOVIE REVOLUTION with Miranda July, Manager of Big Miss Moviola.”
Videos:
“Odd Girl Out,” Tammy Rae Carland (IN)
“Best Friends,” Fiona Fingerface (CT)
“Atlanta,” Hellsie Duster (Miranda July) (OR)
“Everywoman,” Hellin Kay (NY)
“Electric Bodies,” Rita Gonzalez (CA)
Tour dates:
January 1997. (San Diego, CA) University of California, San Diego. Organized by Rita Gonzalez. Sponsored by the Graduate Program in Film and Video.
(Claremont, CA) Pitzer College. Organized by Alex Juhasz. Sponsored by the Dept. of Film/Video.
March 1997. (San Francisco, CA) Madcat Women’s International Film Festival. Panel Speaker.
c. March-May 1997. (San Francisco, CA) The Student Center Art Gallery at San Francisco State University.
March 28, 1997. (New York, NY) CB’s Gallery, 313 Bowery St. “The Video Chainletter That Can’t Be Broke”
April 1997. (Bryn Mawr, PA) Bryn Mawr College. Sponsored by the Department of Women’s Studies.
(Swarthmore, PA) Swarthmore College. Sponsored by Women’s Studies.
(New Brunswick, NJ) Rutgers University
(New York, NY) Barnard College
(Portland, OR) Reed College
As Malado Baldwin recalls: “Miranda July gave a talk and screening of her films in our school’s performance hall. Somehow with her outfit and persona it became this beautiful performance- at once outgoing and reclusive, she reached out to us, to me it felt, and invited submissions to her new Chainletter project. I later contacted her and submitted my film. I was in my early twenties at the time. […] During intermission, Miranda assigned us a task of making our own mini movies with cameras she had set up around the building I remember that my best friend Jesse and I thought it would be funny and appropriate to shoot in the ladies room. So we went to the bathroom down the hall, got up on the sinks, and peed in them. At the time we thought it was hilarious and rebellious. […] After the talk, a few of us went back to the dorms to hang out, and I painted Miranda’s portrait while we chatted. I remember she had a crazy blonde spiky wig, and layers of pantyhose pulled over her platform shoes. It was very tank girl meets raver chic meets fairy”
Related ephemera:
-
- Big Miss Moviola press release. Color xerox flier, 1996. 8.5″ x 11″. Written and designed by Miranda July and Julia Bryan-Wilson.
-
- Big Miss Moviola college tour booking letter. Color Xerox flier, 1996. 8.5″ x 11″. Written and designed by Miranda July and Julia Bryan-Wilson. Note that the email address listed to arrange a booking of a Big Miss Moviola screening was Bryan-Wilson’s address from her day job at Oregon Health Sciences University, where she had access to the internet. July didn’t own a computer at the time.
-
- Letter from Wendy Norris, Gallery Manager at the Student Center Art Gallery at San Francisco State University, CA, to Miranda July, May 29, 1997.
-
- Payment to Miranda July for Joanie 4 Jackie presentation at Swarthmore College. April 1997.