Anarchy in High Heels at Regal Cinemas at Sherman Oaks Galleria

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FEMINIST COMEDY, SATIRE AND SISTERHOOD TAKE CENTER STAGE IN ANARCHY IN HIGH HEELS: THE STORY OF LES NICKELETTES, SCREENING AT LA FEMME INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Betsy Newman’s documentary celebrates the irreverent women who challenged convention and turned laughter into an act of rebellion

LOS ANGELES, October XX, 2026 — Before women’s empowerment became a familiar rallying cry, San Francisco’s Les Nickelettes were putting it into practice—with outrageous musical comedy, biting satire and a refusal to behave. Their story comes to the 22nd Annual LA Femme International Film Festival in director Betsy Newman’s documentary Anarchy in High Heels: The Story of Les Nickelettes, screening Sunday, October 25, at 10 a.m. at Regal Cinemas at the Sherman Oaks Galleria.

Through archival performances and firsthand recollections, the film revisits a fearless women’s theater troupe that emerged from San Francisco’s counterculture in the 1970s and continued into the mid-1980s. Writing, producing and performing their own musical comedies, Les Nickelettes challenged gender stereotypes, broke taboos and claimed the freedom to be outspoken, bawdy and funny.

What began as late-night skits at the O’Farrell Theater grew into a feminist theater company whose members found creative freedom through collaboration. Their work challenged assumptions about how women should look, act and express themselves, bringing an anarchic spirit to the stage and a sharp comic edge to the women’s movement.

Based on founding artistic director Denise Larson’s memoir Anarchy in High Heels, the documentary explores an often-overlooked chapter of feminist and theatrical history. At its heart is a story of friendship: women creating opportunities for one another, finding strength in shared humor and building something together that none could have created alone.

Newman brings an insider’s perspective to the film as a former member of Les Nickelettes and the company’s first female director. The creative team also includes Larson as producer and writer, executive producer Debra Pollock, and producers Valerie Hellmold and Judith Rain.

Tickets at www.lafemme.org