Bama Rush: Documentary on University of Alabama's sorority recruitment debuts tonight

Ken Roberts, The Tuscaloosa News
Updated ·2 min read

A documentary about the University of Alabama's sorority recruitment week will be available for online streaming beginning May 23 on HBO Max.

"Bama Rush: Acceptance Is Everything" centers on UA students as they seek to join sororities in 2022. A trailer for the documentary is available at https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21814814.

The film was directed by Rachel Fleit and produced by Vice Studios for HBO Max.

More: A booming Bid-ness: Why the University of Alabama's Bid Day is a big deal

“This film is a thoughtful and compassionate portrayal of young women in 2022 as they rush the sorority system at the University of Alabama,” Fleit said in a statement via Vice, which was first provided to the New York Times for an Aug. 12, 2022, story.

Known as Rush Week, the process begins each year in August before the start of the fall semester with thousands of prospective pledges visiting UA's sorority houses and attending parties.

Girls visit the sorority houses and attend parties over the course of the week.

New members of Kappa Alpha Theta gather in front of their sorority house to celebrate after receiving their bids on Bid Day at The University of Alabama. Sunday August 14, 2022. [Photo/Will McLelland]
New members of Kappa Alpha Theta gather in front of their sorority house to celebrate after receiving their bids on Bid Day at The University of Alabama. Sunday August 14, 2022. [Photo/Will McLelland]

The week ends with Bid Day, where the girls meet inside Bryant-Denny Stadium and they are handed a manila envelope, which they are told to sit on. Thousands of girls open their envelopes at the same time and then "run home" to their new homes.

Bid Day used to be known as "Squeal Day," after the squeals of delight from pledges as they learned which sorority house had accepted them.

Last year, UA's sorority recruitment week wrapped up with 2,345 pledges receiving bids from 17 sororities during Bid Day.

Members of Delta Delta Delta pose for a photo in front of their sorority house on Bid Day at The University of Alabama. Sunday August 14, 2022. [Photo/Will McLelland]
Members of Delta Delta Delta pose for a photo in front of their sorority house on Bid Day at The University of Alabama. Sunday August 14, 2022. [Photo/Will McLelland]

While Bid Day has been a big deal in Tuscaloosa for years, thanks to social media the influence of Alabama sororities has extended far beyond UA's home city.

The #bamarush and #alabamarush hashtags on TikTok generated millions of views during the past couple of years.

UA has around 12,000 students or about 36% of the undergraduate student body participating in the fraternity and sorority community, with 69 Greek-letter organizations. According to its website, UA has one of the largest fraternity and sorority communities in the United States.

This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: 'Bama Rush' documentary will be available for streaming on tonight