From an episode of Breaking and Entering∙Presented by Lauren Taylor
Interview
Breaking and Entering: Tamra Davis on The Best Summer
Legendary filmmaker Tamra Davis (Billy Madison, Crossroads, Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child) joins Lauren on Breaking and Entering to discuss her new archival documentary, The Best Summer, screening at MIFF.
The year is 1995. Fresh off the success of Billy Madison, Davis brought her Sony Hi8 camcorder on tour with her new husband, Mike D of the Beastie Boys, capturing a shaggy hangout travelogue from Australia's short-lived, upstart festival Summersault—an event that aimed to outshine the Big Day Out.
Three decades later, Davis uncovered a forgotten shoebox of those 8mm videotapes, inadvertently unearthing a priceless time capsule of alternative rock history. The resulting film delivers playful, completely unfiltered backstage access to era-defining artists at the absolute peak of their youth. Viewers get a rare, candid glimpse into the worlds of Sonic Youth, Beck, Pavement, Bikini Kill, and the Foo Fighters just as they were conquering the musical landscape.
In this exclusive interview, Davis opens up to Lauren about the surreal experience of unearthing this long-lost footage. She reflects on what it was like capturing legendary rock figures simply acting like regular kids, and explains why that fleeting, pre-digital era felt so incredibly alive.
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