I have seen The Best Summer described as the “Gen-X Summer of Soul“, which is actually not a bad comparison – although stylistically the films are very different. They are, however, both excellent at what they do: providing audiences with a time capsule of a certain place, time, and musical generation. I did not attend the Australian Summersault music festival at the start of 1996, but thanks to director Tamra Davis I now feel like I have. I cannot think of a better compliment to pay this glorious, highly effective rock documentary.

At the end of 1995, having just completed filming her comedy feature Billy Madison, Tamra Davis accompanied husband Mike D of the Beastie Boys on a festival tour of Australia. With acts including Sonic Youth, Pavement, Bikini Kill, Rancid, and a newly formed Foo Fighters, Summersault was an iconic and groundbreaking event for local audiences and a remarkable gathering of generational musical talent. Davis recorded her experience on tour with a personal camcorder, and after rediscovering the tapes three decades later has assembled them into this film.

The rough-hewn nature of the documentary’s sound and picture gives it a wonderfully personal aesthetic. It feels energetic, youth, and somewhat improvised, and that spontaneity is well reflected by the various bands on tour. It really is a tremendous group of musicians captured on video, and for most acts the festival came at a pivotal time in their careers. In historical terms this is then a very important document in terms of capturing American popular music. It is not simply the performances that have been captured: Davis and Bikini Kill’s Kathleen Hanna conducted a charming series of backstage and aftershow interviews with their fellow performers about their stage experiences and personas, and balancing their often newly-found fame with their personal lives. It all feels incredibly immediate and intimate.

More than that, Davis manages to capture genuine moments of real life among the alt-rock sequences. Sonic Youth’s Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon bring along their daughter Coco, providing an insight into parenting while on the road. Dave Grohl, who seems simply so young in the film, takes his formative steps from Nirvana drummer to Foo Fighters lead singer. Kathleen Hanna transitions from bemoaning there are no hot young men on the tour to becoming visibly besotted with Beastie Boy Adam Horowitz (they will later date and get married).

The Best Summer strikes a perfect balance between feeling like a documentary and feeling like a friend sharing their memories of a critical time in their lives. It has a distinctive, lived-in style that provokes real insight. Viewers craving the highest fidelity of sound and vision in its musical interludes will possibly be frustrated. Wiser members of the audience will appreciate its raw and furious authenticity. This is an A-grade, deeply emotive gem. Thank goodness Davis captured what she did. Thank goodness she rediscovered her tapes. Thank goodness she shared them with us.

The Best Summer is screening at the Melbourne International Film Festival. Click here for more information.