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The eagerly awaited sorority drama documentary, Bama Rush, is all set to premiere on May 23, 2023, on HBO Max. Following the exponential rise in the popularity of the #RushTok trend, which follows the competitive recruitment process that potential candidates for a sorority have to go through at The University of Alabama, HBO now brings to its viewers Bama Rush, which attempts to encapsulate and document the whole event.
The sorority rush at the Univeristy of Alabama has been subject to much controversy over the years. With criticism levied against it ranging from the extreme pressures the sorority selection procedure puts on the young girls to the infamous social stratification of Greek life at the university, where fraternity boys rank sorority houses based on their members’ looks, the sorority has really seen it all.
The upcoming documentary aims to not only pull the curtain back on society's origins but also bring to light the cutthroat competition and long-held traditions of the sorority house. The official synopsis of the documentary, as per HBO Max, reads:
"BAMA RUSH follows four young women as they prepare to rush at the University of Alabama in 2022. Against the viral backdrop of #BamaRush on TikTok, and the long-held tradition of sorority recruitment at the University of Alabama, the film explores the emotional complexities and high-stakes of belonging in this crucial window into womanhood."
The documentary has already made quite a fanbase for itself, as the actual members of the sororities and candidates for the sororities all around the country count down the seconds for the documentary's premiere on the streaming service.
Bama Rush promises to be an insightful adventure, revealing the process behind sorority selection
Bama Rush is directed by award-winning director and writer Rachel Fleit, who has previously worked on the critically acclaimed documentary Introducing, Selma Blair, which follows Selma Blair adapting to new ways of living after revealing her multiple sclerosis diagnosis.
HBO released the trailer for the documentary on May 4, and it has managed to capture the attention of many for its intriguing dive into the complex life of sororities. The tone of the trailer has been termed by viewers as being "straight out of a movie," since the audience hasn't really seen a deep dive into college sorority culture on their television screens before, which makes Bama Rush a first of its kind.
The trailer, at the offset, acquaints viewers with the recruitment procedure of a sorority at The University of Alabama and explains that the "rush" consists of four highly competitive rounds. It also shows one young woman proclaiming that her main reason to join The University of Alabama is because of its rush culture that went viral on TikTok, which makes viewers all the more interested in the unique selection procedure.
The trailer also brings out the seriousness with which these young women undertake the selection procedure, as, for them, it is more than just a sorority. Rather, it is a chance to fit in and find their true selves. Another young woman comments on this, saying:
"Being in a sorority will help me figure out, the person, like, I want to be. Because I feel like I don't really know who I am, you know?"
The sorority culture is a chance for young women to belong and to find like-minded peers and long-lasting friendships. It really makes one think of the irony of the bizarre sorority culture, that women engage in a cutthroat competition just to find their place in the world and people with whom they can be free and be themselves.
In fact, the documentary tries to represent this "crucial window of womanhood" that every young woman experiences. Reflecting on this, a candidate for the rush shared:
"I have trust issues with people, and I get nervous that people are gonna leave me. So I'm really hoping that when I get to Alabama, like, I can just always have an open heart."
Another candidate for the rush explains her reasons to participate in the event:
"I moved out at 16, as soon as my dad died. It just is exhausting having to hold everything in."
The women explain that those in the sororities have to go through extreme pressures as they are judged on their appearances by everyone, and the girls in the trailer specifically point out the fraternity boys that rank women based on their appearance.
With a closer look at the importance of power, class, and prestige in university, Bama Rush promises to be a thoroughly entertaining watch, that is sure to entice the viewers as they get introduced to the wild and bizarre life of the sorority culture.
Bama Rush is all set to premiere on May 23, 2023, on HBO Max.
