Janis Ian: Breaking the Silence

In 1965, 14-year-old singer-songwriter Janis Ian wrote the song "Society's Child", which dealt with the theme of racism, and launched her career a year later by releasing the song. However, the subject matter of the song caused controversy, including death threats. This led Ian to an emotional breakdown, but he rose from the ashes a few years later with an even bigger hit called "At Seventeen". Over the course of six decades, Ian earned ten Grammy nominations in eight different categories, his song "Stars" was recorded by celebrities such as Nina Simone and Cher, and he overcame homophobia, misogyny, and a life-threatening illness to create an indelible body of work that still draws audiences worldwide. The film features icons like Janis Ian, Joan Baez, Jean Smart, Arlo Guthrie, Lily Tomlin, and Tom Paxton.

Viewer experiences with the film have been generally positive. Viewers have particularly appreciated the strong connection between Janis Ian’s music and her life story.

The film was shot in New Jersey, where Janis Ian spent most of her life.