Janis Ian: Breaking Silence

Southeast US Premiere

Janis Ian: Breaking Silence takes you on a captivating journey through the life of a trailblazing artist who dared to challenge the norms. At just 15, Janis Ian shook the world with her bold hit "Society’s Child," a song about an interracial relationship that not only launched her career but also sparked controversy during the height of the Civil Rights Movement. Over the next six decades, Ian jammed with Jimi Hendrix, partied with Janis Joplin, and played duets with Dolly Parton and Willie Nelson. But she also had to overcome the stigma of her early success, homophobia, record industry misogyny, and a life-threatening illness, all while creating an indelible body of work that continues to attract audiences worldwide.

Janis Ian: Breaking Silence chronicles the singer’s epic life journey from her Jewish childhood on a chicken farm in New Jersey through the release of the disruptive album Breaking Silence, which she leveraged to come out publicly about her gay marriage. With access to Ian’s incredible body of music, her vast archive, family, friends, famed collaborators, and music journalists, this in-depth documentary balances the intimacy of a home movie against a sweeping historical and contemporary context.

This special premiere event will include the attendance of legendary singer-songwriter Janis Ian, who will introduce the film and participate in a Q&A after the screening.