Parity Pipeline

Parity Pipeline

Derby Rising

Directed by Dawn Mikkelson

Experience the heart-pounding world of roller derby like never before in DERBY RISING.

  • ABOUT
  • BIO

Genre

Synopsis

Follow four top teams as they battle for the coveted #1 spot in the first world championship since the sport's hiatus in 2020. It's not just about the game—it's about life, love, and the birth of a new era. Meet the fierce skaters who are rewriting the rules and smashing stereotypes. From intense rivalries to unwavering camaraderie, witness the electrifying sisterhood of diverse, passionate women and nonbinary warriors as they redefine what it means to hit hard, play harder, and soar higher than ever before. Join us as roller derby takes center stage, propelling itself into a thrilling new chapter. From the Director of the 2023 Feature Documentary which left audiences wanting more, MINNESOTA MEAN, DERBY RISING is built upon a deep understanding of and relationships within the roller derby world, including a 6-year partnership with the WFTDA (Women's Flat Track Derby Association).

Director Identity

Bio

Dawn Mikkelson (Producer/Director/Editor) 3-time Emmy Award winning producer, and 2010 McKnight Filmmaking Fellow, Dawn Mikkelson’s work has broadcast on global television networks such as PBS, CBC, and Deutsche Welle and screened at dozens of top international film festival including: DOC NYC, Doc Edge, Mill Valley Film Festival, Cinequest, and Melbourne Documentary Film Festival. 2023/2024 American Film Diplomacy Program (US State Department & USC School of Cinematic Arts) participant and finalist of the Project Greenlight Digital Studios and Seed&Spark Untold Story Crowdfunding Rally, Mikkelson has completed seven award-winning independent feature documentaries, Minnesota Mean (2023), Finding Her Beat (2022), Risking Light (2018), The Red Tail (2009), Green Green Water (2007), THIS obedience (2003), and Treading Water: a documentary (1999), as well as branded content for Nonprofit, NGO, and Governmental partners including the European Union, the Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies, and the Center for Victims of Torture. Based in Lake City, Minnesota, Mikkelson is a proud member of the Film Fatales, Film North, the IDA (Independent Documentary Association), and the DPA (Documentary Producers Alliance), as Co-Representative of the Midwest Region and Member of the Ethics Working Group.