KEN KWAPIS | USA | 2026 | 100 MIN | ENGLISH
After decades of baffling and fascinating listeners with loopy ditties like “My Pal Foot Foot,” sister trio The Shaggs finally gets a chance to tell their story in this affectionate and hilarious deep dive into one of the most misunderstood bands of all time.
If you’ve ever wondered what kind of music three homeschooled New Hampshire sisters would produce if forced to pick up instruments and record an album by their domineering stage father, look no further than The Shaggs’ 1969 opus, Philosophy of the World. Recorded at a tiny Boston-area studio, the homespun album became an unlikely cult hit among adventurous radio DJs and in-the-know crate-diggers, gaining famous fans like Frank Zappa and Kurt Cobain along the way. With their discordant rhythmic sense, rudimentary playing, and naïve yet weirdly profound lyrics, The Shaggs have been championed as everything from a so-bad-it’s-good novelty act to essential forerunners of indie rock and Riot grrrl. Yet in the decades-long back-and-forth between fans and music critics, it was easy to lose sight of the three human beings behind these oddball songs. In this warm, clear-eyed portrait, veteran director Ken Kwapis (A Walk in the Woods) allows the Wiggin sisters to share their own perspectives on unlikely cult fame. By turns outrageous and heartbreaking, We Are The Shaggs is a vital tribute to one of music’s most idiosyncratic acts.
Ticket holders must arrive at the theater at least 15 minutes before the scheduled start time.
Seating after the start time is not guaranteed. All sales are final.
For more information on PFF35 policies and venue information – How to Fest Page or PFF35 Code of Conduct.
Return back to the PFF35 film schedule.