No Time for Quiet, created by Hylton Shaw and Samantha Dinning, is a documentary about a Girls Rock summer camp in Melbourne, Australia, for girls and non-binary youth aged from 11 to 17. The camera focuses on Zeiro, Phoebe, Lucy, and Dakota as they find a sense of belonging and identity while discovering themselves through their music. The viewers are able to see how these individuals were impacted and changed by the Girls Rock camp, as we get to hear each of their stories from before, during, and after camp. The documentary serves as a promotion for the camp as well.
Each of these people are unique in their own ways and all have different stories to tell, and through them the film shines a light on topics like gender inequality, gender fluidity, and anxiety. Zeiro is 16 years old and is gender fluid. This makes Zeiro’s life a little more difficult than most as she deals with her parents’ unacceptance and struggles socially, which includes bullying. Phoebe is also 16 years of age but deals with intense psychosis. You are able to see her discover her voice and confidence through music which stemmed from this camp. Lucy and Dakota are both 13 but with very different lives but both have a very deep passion for music. Dakota is obsessed over the videogame world and wants to live in another realm that holds infinite possibilities. Lucy gets very anxious and shy in social situations but tries to push through and still put herself out there.
I have personally been part of a similar Girls Rock summer camp, here in Santa Barbara, and as counselors and mentors our mission was to encourage and empower every individual that stepped into camp, and see the effects on these girls and non-binary youth. Through this documentary we got to see our influence as a camp and this was incredibly moving. I thought that looking through these individuals’ eyes and perspectives worked very well. It was a more risky and unique way of portraying the experience but I thought it was well done and paid off. My favorite part was seeing the characters months later. Seeing them going through life after camp was a beautiful way of ending this story.
I have so much admiration and respect for the people involved in this film and I would highly recommend it to others.