Janis Ian: Breaking Silence

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Janis Ian: Breaking Silence

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1h 54m

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In 1965, Janis Ian, a 14-year-old singer-songwriter from New Jersey, wrote "Society's Child" about an interracial relationship. Recorded and released a year later, the song launched Ian's career, but its subject matter ignited controversy, even resulting in death threats. The fallout plunged Ian into an emotional tailspin--and yet a few years later she emerged from the ashes with an even bigger hit, "At Seventeen." Over six decades, Janis Ian gained ten Grammy nominations in eight different categories, saw her song "Stars" recorded by such luminaries as Nina Simone and Cher, and overcame homophobia, misogyny, and a life-threatening illness to produce an indelible body of work that continues to draw audiences around the globe. Featuring Janis Ian, Joan Baez, Jean Smart, Arlo Guthrie, Lily Tomlin, and Tom Paxton, among other icons.

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Tim Cogshell

FilmWeek (LAist)

Really an extraordinary film.

Apr 9, 2025

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Chris Klimek

Washington Post

Varda Bar-Kar offers a conventional but still compelling synopsis of the iconoclastic singer-songwriter’s long career.

Rated: 3/4

Apr 4, 2025

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Beandrea July

FilmWeek (LAist)

The visuals didn't really match up to the story, but it's a necessary and beautifully rendered of an artist.

Apr 9, 2025

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Stephen Silver

The SS Ben Hecht

The music is amazing, and Ian’s story, while unheralded, is fantastic.

Mar 28, 2025

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Avi Offer

NYC Movie Guru

Insightful, but conventional, overlong and by-the-numbers.

Mar 26, 2025

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Peter Keough

Arts Fuse

As seen in Varda Bar-Kar’s edifying but frustrating Janis Ian: Breaking Silence, the pop singer of the title was exposed early on to the kind of homophobia she could expect from show business, the media, and the general public throughout her career.

Nov 20, 2024

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Varda Bar-Kar

Director

Janis Ian

Self

Joan Baez

Self

Lily Tomlin

Self

Jean Smart

Self

Laurie Metcalf

Self

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Synopsis

In 1965, Janis Ian, a 14-year-old singer-songwriter from New Jersey, wrote "Society's Child" about an interracial relationship. Recorded and released a year later, the song launched Ian's career, but its subject matter ignited controversy, even resulting in death threats. The fallout plunged Ian into an emotional tailspin--and yet a few years later she emerged from the ashes with an even bigger hit, "At Seventeen." Over six decades, Janis Ian gained ten Grammy nominations in eight different categories, saw her song "Stars" recorded by such luminaries as Nina Simone and Cher, and overcame homophobia, misogyny, and a life-threatening illness to produce an indelible body of work that continues to draw audiences around the globe. Featuring Janis Ian, Joan Baez, Jean Smart, Arlo Guthrie, Lily Tomlin, and Tom Paxton, among other icons.

Director: Varda Bar-Kar
Producer: Varda Bar-Kar, Alessandra Pasquino, Brooke Wentz
Screenwriter: Varda Bar-Kar, Pierre Hauser
Distributor: Greenwich Entertainment
Production Co: Wild Rose Pictures, GroundStorm Media, American Masters Entertainment
Genre: Documentary, Music, Biography
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 28, 2025, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 29, 2025
Runtime: 1h 54m

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