Sini Anderson facts for kids

Sini Anderson (born November 6, 1969) is an American film director, producer, artist, dancer, and poet from Chicago, Illinois. She is well-known for directing The Punk Singer (2013), a documentary film about the musician Kathleen Hanna. The film explores Hanna's career and her experience with a serious illness called Lyme disease.

Early Life and Artistic Beginnings

Sini Anderson grew up in Chicago, Illinois. She did not go to high school or college. Instead, she started her artistic journey as a professional dancer. She studied modern dance with a group called Chicago Dance Medium.

After dancing for several years, Sini wanted to express herself in new ways. She began to write. When she was 22, she performed her first spoken word piece at the Green Mill Cocktail Lounge in Chicago. She won the competition that night, which encouraged her to get more involved in the Chicago poetry scene. She even started her own spoken word group called "The Words to Swallow Poets." Sini performed with her group at local clubs before moving to San Francisco.

Discovering Feminism in San Francisco

When Sini moved to San Francisco, she found a vibrant art scene. She learned a lot about feminism, which is the belief that all genders should have equal rights and opportunities. Sini's understanding of feminism came from her friends and the punk rock art scene, not from school.

She learned about feminist artists through magazines called zines and by going to shows. She especially liked "third wave feminism," which focused on making feminism open to everyone and challenging popular culture. Sini says her friends Tammy Rae Carland, Kathleen Hanna, and Michelle Tea were big influences on her. She believes that showing your feelings and being open can be strengths for women.

Sister Spit: A Platform for Voices

In San Francisco, Sini noticed a lot of unfairness towards women in the poetry scene. To change this, she teamed up with her friend Michelle Tea. Together, they created Sister Spit (1994–1997), a weekly open mic event just for girls and women.

Later, they started Sister Spit's Ramblin' Road Show. This was a touring spoken word show that traveled across the country from 1997 to 2000. Sini and Michelle performed in San Francisco for three years before taking their show on the road. They brought ten other queer performers with them on three summer tours. Sister Spit also released several albums, sharing their spoken word performances with a wider audience.

Becoming a Filmmaker

Sini Anderson always dreamed of making films. She thought she needed to go to film school, but she found another way. In the late 1990s, she got involved in the underground film scene in San Francisco. She worked with other artists and helped new directors make their first films.

Soon, Sini started making her own short films. She began adding videos to her stage performances, becoming a multimedia artist. This meant she combined different art forms like performance and video.

Making The Punk Singer Documentary

Sini Anderson and musician Kathleen Hanna knew of each other for years. They became friends in 2000. In 2009, Kathleen's friends and family became worried about her health. Kathleen first asked Sini to direct a documentary about her band, Le Tigre. However, Sini was more interested in telling the story of Kathleen's entire career.

Kathleen agreed to the documentary only if Sini would direct it. Sini encouraged Kathleen to share her personal story, and Kathleen encouraged Sini to direct her first full-length film. Sini felt it was important for people to hear Kathleen's story so they could feel less alone.

Halfway through filming, Kathleen was diagnosed with late-stage Lyme disease. This serious illness changed the focus of the film. Originally, the documentary was about Kathleen's role in the riot grrrl movement and her band Bikini Kill. Sini used interviews with Kathleen's family and friends, plus old videos and photos. The film then also became about Kathleen's journey with Lyme disease. Sini believes that Kathleen's willingness to show her struggles can help other people dealing with similar challenges.

Sini Anderson's Experience with Lyme Disease

Just six weeks after Kathleen Hanna was diagnosed with Lyme disease, Sini Anderson also became very ill. She ended up in the hospital with symptoms that seemed like a heart attack or stroke. A month later, she received her own diagnosis of late-stage Lyme disease.

At first, doctors told Sini nothing was wrong, even though she felt worse each day. During the filming of The Punk Singer, Sini did not want to talk publicly about her own illness. She didn't want to complicate Kathleen's story or take the focus away from her.

As the film went into post-production, Sini became sicker. She needed an IV line to receive antibiotic treatments. These treatments helped improve her health. Today, she still watches for signs of sickness and maintains a healthy lifestyle.

After The Punk Singer was released, Sini learned that many other artists she knew also had late-stage Lyme disease. She now knows over 75 feminist artists who have been diagnosed with the illness.

Other Creative Projects

Sini Anderson has worked on other independent films. She was the first assistant director for Miggy n Lil (2006), Bare Knuckle (2007), and Karma Calling (2009).

She also directed a book trailer for the memoir Whip Smart by Melissa Febos. This trailer won an award for Best Short Documentary in 2010. Sini has directed many music videos too, including "All Those Girls" (2012) for Jolie Holland, "Girl in the Grass" (2014) for Lovers, and "Blah Blah Blah" (2014) for Girlpool.

Sini Anderson has also given talks at several universities across America, sharing her experiences and insights.

Future Projects: So Sick

Sini Anderson is currently working on her second full-length documentary film, titled So Sick. This film explores the widespread issue of late-stage Lyme disease among feminist artists, thinkers, and activists.

Personal Life

Sini Anderson lived in San Francisco, California, when she was in her twenties. Today, she divides her time between Brooklyn, New York, and Los Angeles, California.

See also

• List of female film and television directors
• List of lesbian filmmakers
• List of LGBT-related films directed by women