Let the Canary Sing

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Let the Canary Sing

Alison Ellwood

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Let the Canary Sing
Alison Ellwood

A high-energy portrait of the uncompromising American singer Cyndi Lauper. Beneath a vibrant and joyful appearance, her activist voice rings out in 80s hits like “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” and “True Colors.”

Festival IDFA
Location Rabozaal

Run time 99 minutes
Genre Film

Dutch premiere

Let the Canary Sing


A fast-paced and music-rich portrait of uncompromising American singer Cyndi Lauper. Her sister Ellen tells of how they sang and danced together as children. Famous pop artists such as Boy George share their thoughts on her musical talent and unique vocal sound, as well as how she has drawn attention to subjects like emancipation, abortion, racism and gender discrimination.If you only know Ms Lauper as the girlish and irrepressible singer of her 1983 track “Girls Just Want to Have Fun,” you may be surprised to discover the activist message behind this jubilant hit.
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Feminist and journalist Gloria Steinem describes the song as an “anthem for young feminists” in this dynamic, in-depth music documentary. And at live concerts, her global 1986 hit “True Colors” touches the hearts of thousands of people from the queer community. This inspirational chronological life story of an eclectic singer—of soul (in a moving duet with Patti LaBelle), pop, blues, and funk—shows that it pays to stay true to your dreams, your mission and your unique voice.

About IDFA

IDFA strives to strengthen the international documentary climate by focusing more than ever on documentary film as an art form. This focus includes documentary films with an original visual language or structure, films that show lesser-known cultures or are filmed from a non-Western perspective, and interactive or immersive documentaries that innovate the field.

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