MISS NIKKI AND THE TIGER GIRLS

Sunday School of Rock’s fourth offering is all about GIRL POWER with MISS NIKKI AND THE TIGER GIRLS.

Around 2010 it seemed like the vice-like grip of Burma’s military junta was finally loosening. Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi was released from house arrest, elections seemed closer to being free and fair and an Australian dancer turned music manager named Nicole May places an advertisement in Yangon looking for women to join The Tiger Girls – fated to be Burma’s first ever girl group.

Miss Nikki has her work cut out for her as the five girls lack most of the qualities you’d expect from successful pop starlets. Wai Hnin is tone deaf and prone to panic attacks. Htike Htike has two left feet. Ah Moon is a control freak. Kimmy is the best singer but is lacking in the looks department. Cha Cha has to conceal her involvement in the band from her conservative military father whose attitudes are in line with the view that all women who perform on stage are prostitutes.

This 2012 documentary was described as “easily amongst the best” of the 2013 Sydney Film Festival’s non-fiction competition. The film was made by Australian director Juliet Lamont over a number of trips to Myanmar who, in order to avoid governmental scrutiny, listed “meditation retreat” as the purpose of her visits.

In such a repressive and dangerous society, how does a documentary maker get around the very real possibility of government intervention and censorship? Through song of course!

Here’s what the producers have to say about the film.

“After 50 years of military dictatorship, Myanmar’s first girl band face a tough reality – when you’re finally allowed to speak, what do you say? A fresh and funny feature documentary about a country undergoing massive change, MISS NIKKI AND THE TIGER GIRLS offers a unique perspective of Myanmar as it follows the fortunes of a bunch of talented girls breaking free of tradition in their search for an original voice.”

The Tiger Girls would go on to rebrand as the Me N Ma Girls (get it?) becoming the first ever group from Myanmar to be nominated for the VINA Music Awards. Control freak Ah Moon still has a career today and is oftern referred to as the Burmese Rihanna.

Running time: 75 minutes