Billed as Liverpool’s first all-female rock band, the Liverbirds formed in 1962, inspired by (who else?) the Beatles. They drew comparisons and crossed paths with the Fab Four throughout their six-year run, and would go on to play shows with such rock legends as the Rolling Stones, the Kinks and Jimi Hendrix. This entertaining and touching short documentary from the Canadian director Ben Proudfoot features the two living Liverbirds, the bassist and vocalist Mary McGlory and the drummer Sylvia Saunders, recalling how they went from music novices to playing for packed crowds across Europe. Powered by the duo’s natural storytelling skills and Proudfoot’s kinetic direction, the film captures how their career was powered by friendship, modest upbringings and a desire to prove themselves as serious musicians – before the incredible ride met a bittersweet end.
Director: Ben Proudfoot
Producers: Gabriel Berk Godoi, Abby Lynn Kang Davis
Website: Breakwater Studios
video
War and peace
‘She is living on in many hearts’ – Otto Frank on the legacy of his daughter’s diary
12 minutes
video
Art
Why Diego Velázquez needed a lifetime to paint his enigmatic masterpiece
31 minutes
video
Earth science and climate
There’s a ‘climate bomb’ ticking beneath the Arctic ice. How can we prepare?
8 minutes
video
Political philosophy
The radical activist couple who fought for social change in the courtroom
21 minutes
video
Human rights and justice
When a burial for slave trade victims is unearthed, a small island faces a reckoning
29 minutes
video
Technology and the self
A haunting scene from ‘Minority Report’ inspires a voyage into time and memory
7 minutes
video
Family life
The stream-of-consciousness thoughts and memories that emerge while cooking a meal
5 minutes
video
Ecology and environmental sciences
GPS tracking reveals stunning insights into the patterns of migratory birds
6 minutes
video
Human rights and justice
Can providing humanitarian aid be illegal? A troubling case from the US-Mexico border
17 minutes