1-800-On-Her-Own is a brisk and brief look into the mind and career of Buffalo, New York raised singer-songwriter Ani DiFranco. Directed by Dana Flor (The Nine Lives of Marion Barry), 1-800-On-Her-Own doesn’t redefine the biographical documentary template or demystify DiFranco’s uncompromising and fiercely independent methods of recording, distribution, and touring, but it feels honest in the same way as its subject’s music does. DiFranco has rarely, ever censored herself, and Flor is allowed to be in the moment with their subject during some dark periods and personal setbacks, all while looking back to the past with a smidge of nostalgia and a lot of reflection.
1-800-On-Her-Own – which gets its name from the very real phone number of her old, self-started record label, Righteous Babe – finds DiFranco at a personal and professional crossroads. Some bad business decisions (most not made directly by her) and a falling out with her label’s former manager has left DiFranco with a degree of financial instability. Her partnership of sixteen years to husband Mike Napoletano is on the rocks, with some clear tension visible and trips to couples’ therapy a regular occasion. 30 years of touring is taking an emotional toll, with Ani wishing there was more time to spend with her two kids, so much so that when the pandemic hits in 2020, she relishes the chance to take a break. She tries doing a straight up solo tour without a backing band for the first time in years, which requires a lot more mental and physical energy as a performer. And to top it all off, DiFranco has decided to open herself up to collaboration for the first time in her largely DIY career, by taking a trip to Eau Claire, Wisconsin to meet with Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon.
1-800-On-Her-Own stays largely in DiFranco’s present moment, even when discussing the past. Only a few scant minutes are given to talking about DiFranco’s chaotic childhood before moving swiftly onward. She’s a survivor of abuse, but that statement is tossed off and not followed up on. This version of the story wants to focus on DiFranco primarily as a mother and businesswoman, finding most of its inspirational weight in focusing on those aspects of her personality. It’s a little bit of an odd fit when one considers how weighty, meaningful, and loaded a lot of her musical output has been. Flor either isn’t pressing hard enough to get to the deeper meaning behind DiFranco’s work, the folk singer isn’t giving any information, or those details somehow didn’t seem relevant to the filmmaker. 1-800-On-Her-Own casts DiFranco as a hard working, bisexual feminist and just leaves things at that. It’s disappointing for people unacquainted with DiFranco’s work, and fans might feel somewhat shortchanged by Flor’s narrow scope.
Flor’s film is at its best at capturing DiFranco in her natural elements: either reflecting on matters of great personal importance directly to the director or on the stage. Flor creatively incorporates musical interludes throughout 1-800-On-Her-Own by deftly editing together footage of individual songs performed at different venues in different styles, which is a bold, captivating way of incorporating some of DiFranco’s most iconic tracks. And when it comes to discussing her current level of burnout, DiFranco doesn’t hold much back, often on the verge of tears at multiple points and displaying an unvarnished vulnerability that’s easily relatable. There are even moments that subtly hold DiFranco’s independent, workaholic tendencies responsible for some of her current malaise, most notably a tense online chat with Vernon about their collaborative process not being entirely equitable.
But outside of a handful of illuminating moments, 1-800-On-Her-Own is a thin documentary. There’s not much of a beginning or end, a minimal amount of context, and only a small handful of voices speaking about the DiFranco and the influence she has undoubtedly had on folk music and other artists. It often feels like it’s up to DiFranco to do a lot of the lifting here, too, instead of letting others take the wheel and then offering up further comment. It’s personal and sometimes wrenching to watch, but also scattered and safe. Fans could enjoy this to some degree, but they could get more emotional and intellectual payoffs from simply listening to a DiFranco album or going to a show instead.
1-800-On-Her-Own opens at Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema in Toronto on Friday, January 31, 2025.
