When she started recording in the 90s, Canadian Merrill Nisker never thought her music would be known by anyone beyond her friends and collaborators, let alone gain her worldwide fame. Now, having conquered global stages as Peaches, the musician, producer, director, performance artist, and iconic feminist finds herself touring the 20th anniversary of her groundbreaking album. Proudly body- and sex-positive when the terms were barely an itch in the back of Western culture’s collective brain, Peaches continues to inspire audiences with her authentic, outrageous, and joyfully adults-only performances. Neon face paint? Check. Undergarments as outerwear? Check! Giant vagina headpieces? Check!! Director Philipp Fussenegger and codirector/editor Judy Landkammer smash together the best elements of a tour documentary and a personal retrospective. The film deftly intercuts footage from two decades of performances with the anniversary tour and features interviews with coconspirators, famous admirers (including Feist and Shirley Manson), and of course Peaches herself. The boys wanna be her, the girls wanna be her, Peaches rocks and never stops. —Laura Henneman
Philipp Fussenegger gained recognition in 2016 with the First Steps Award for his short film Henry. His documentary debut, I am the Tigress (2021) explores the fascinating life of bodybuilder Tischa 'The Tigress' Thomas.
Judy Landkammer is a film and video editor since 2014, her first feature The Misandrists premiered at Berlinale in 2017. Teaches of Peaches is the first film she also co-directed.