The songwriter who broke silence at seventeen finally tells her own story, with Joan Baez and Lily Tomlin along for the ride.
3:00 PM
Directed by Varda Bar-Kar • USA, 2024 • 1h 54m
Chronicles the six decade career of folk icon Janis Ian, from the controversy over her teenage hit Society's Child through At Seventeen and her later work as an LGBTQ and social justice advocate, blending interviews, archival and performance footage, and dramatized recreations. Premiered at DOC NYC in November 2024 and released theatrically by Greenwich Entertainment in 2025. On-camera interviews include Joan Baez, Arlo Guthrie, Lily Tomlin, Jean Smart, and Tom Paxton.
"Breaking Silence does a lot right" (The Washington Post)
"An engrossing, informative documentary" (Billboard)