Janis Ian: Breaking Silence | Rotten Tomatoes

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 Full Review Read all reviews

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