Meet Babs, an optimistic octogenarian speed racing through life, one five-year plan at a time.
THANKS, BABS! is a vibrant 14-minute documentary short following Babs Daitch, an optimistic octogenarian who lives her life in perpetual motion. From lap-dancing at the “41st anniversary of her 39th birthday” to reflecting on mortality in San Francisco’s AIDS Memorial Grove, Babs embraces aging with mischief, humor, and curiosity. The film culminates in the long-awaited maiden voyage of her live-aboard 40-foot motor cruiser, a scene by turns both comedic and triumphant. A story of reinvention, resilience, and refusing to slow down, THANKS, BABS! celebrates a woman who proves that life at eighty isn’t about endings, but about steering into the next adventure.
Jen Rainin founded Frankly Speaking Films with Rivkah Beth Medow in 2020 to tell mesmerizing stories about strong queer women. Together, they created the feature documentary AHEAD OF THE CURVE and the Oscar shortlisted short documentary HOLDING MOSES, and they produced the short doc OUTCRY: ALCHEMISTS OF RAGE. Jen is a Film Independent fellow whose other credits include HOMEROOM (EP: Hulu), JEANNETTE (EP: festivals), HUMMINGBIRDS (EP: POV), TWO SPIRITS (EP: Independent Lens), and SHIT & CHAMPAGNE (EP: Hulu). With her wife, Jen co-founded The Curve Foundation to champion LGBTQ+ women’s stories and culture through intergenerational programming and community building.
World Premiere - Frameline49 2025
SF Jewish Film Festival 2025
Athena Film Festival 2025
Cinema Diverse 2025
Milwaukee Film Dialogues Documentary Festival 2025
Frameline49 2025 - Honorable Mention Outstanding Doc Short
Cinema Diverse 2025- Best Doc Short, Audience Choice Award
OUTshine 2025 - Honorable Mention Audience Award
Out Here Dayton 2025 – Audience Choice Award
Co-Director - Jen Rainin
Co-Director - Rivkah Beth Medow
Cinematographer - Clare Major
Cinematographer - Zachary Fink
Editor - Kristina Motwani
