Joan Baez I Am a Noise

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Joan Baez I Am a Noise

2023

1h 49m

Documentary

Music

Biography

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Popcornmeter

94%

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51 Reviews

81%

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50+ Ratings

Neither a conventional biopic nor a traditional concert film, JOAN BAEZ I AM A NOISE is a raw and intimate portrait of the legendary folk singer and activist that shifts back and forth through time as it follows Joan on her final tour and delves into her extraordinary archive, including newly discovered home movies, diaries, artwork, therapy tapes, and audio recordings. Baez is remarkably revealing about her life on and off stage -- from her lifelong emotional struggles to her civil rights work with MLK and a heartbreaking romance with a young Bob Dylan. A searingly honest look at a living legend, this film is a compelling and deeply personal exploration of an iconic artist who has never told the full truth of her life, as she experienced it, until now.

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Critics Consensus

Absorbing purely as a chronicle of her remarkable career, Joan Baez I Am a Noise is also moving as a depiction of one woman's personal journey from pain to peace and forgiveness.

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Ty Burr

Ty Burr's Watch List (Substack)

Whether or not you’ve ever been partial to Baez’s image as the sainted Madonna of the 1960s folk and protest movements, the movie is worth a look as a raw and intimate portrait of debilitating vulnerability.

Rated: 3.5/4

Feb 16, 2024

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Steve Davis

Austin Chronicle

But it’s the last half-hour’s revelation of the repressed emotions and memories uncovered in Baez’s midlife therapy sessions, accompanied by the voice and written correspondence of her late father, Albert, that will stick with you most...

Rated: 3/5

Jan 5, 2024

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Peter Bradshaw

Guardian

The folk singer and counterculture veteran Joan Baez is the subject of this intimate and painful documentary, which brings us to the brink of a terribly traumatic revelation that it can’t quite bear to spell out.

Rated: 4/5

Oct 27, 2023

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Marissa Hill

Shade Studios

It’s especially impressive how seamlessly the historical clips blend with the narrative, helping to deepen our understanding of how Baez evolved both as an artist and as an activist. It’s not just a film. It’s an experience.

Jul 22, 2025

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Lisa Nesselson

France24

Baez is a class act, and so is this film.

Jul 9, 2024

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Yago García

Cinemanía (Spain)

Fascinating in its content, disappointing in its execution. [Full review in Spanish]

Rated: 3/5

Apr 25, 2024

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Stephanie M

Joan Baezs life and personality we pictured well in this documentary. I would have liked to learn more about the song writing process and how they reflected what was happening in her life at the time they were being written.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

11/06/23

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Rod K

Left out some years, but revealed a lot more of her life than I was aware of. A very intospective documentary and well presented

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/26/23

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Joan M

Powerful, transparent, emotional movie. I learned so much that I didn’t know about Joan. Highly recommend!

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

10/22/23

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Anne

Much more depth and psychological issues revealed than I expected. As a fan of Joan Baez for about 60 years I thought the movie was an excellent modality in which to learn intimate parts of her life. Many people can relate to her especially now.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/21/23

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JD

I would have liked to hear more music.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

10/18/23

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Barbara

Loved the music and the narrative. Many others have experienced similar life circumstances. What a beautiful singer in every way.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/18/23

Full Review

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Miri Navasky

Director

Karen O'Connor

Director

Maeve O'Boyle

Director

Joan Baez

Self

Mimi Fariña

Self

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Self

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Synopsis

Neither a conventional biopic nor a traditional concert film, JOAN BAEZ I AM A NOISE is a raw and intimate portrait of the legendary folk singer and activist that shifts back and forth through time as it follows Joan on her final tour and delves into her extraordinary archive, including newly discovered home movies, diaries, artwork, therapy tapes, and audio recordings. Baez is remarkably revealing about her life on and off stage -- from her lifelong emotional struggles to her civil rights work with MLK and a heartbreaking romance with a young Bob Dylan. A searingly honest look at a living legend, this film is a compelling and deeply personal exploration of an iconic artist who has never told the full truth of her life, as she experienced it, until now.

Director: Miri Navasky, Karen O'Connor, Maeve O'Boyle
Producer: Miri Navasky, Karen O'Connor
Distributor: Magnolia Pictures
Production Co: Mead Street Films
Genre: Documentary, Music, Biography
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 6, 2023, Limited
Box Office (Gross USA): $647.6K
Runtime: 1h 49m

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