Janis Ian: Breaking Silence

Interview with Varda Bar-Kar

Janis Ian: Breaking Silence is in theatres on March 28 and will be available to rent everywhere on April 29.

Describe the film for us in your own words.

Janis Ian: Breaking Silence brings to the screen the extraordinary life, music, and times of trailblazing American singer-songwriter Janis Ian. Hers is an empowering story of artistry, resilience, belonging, and an unwavering commitment to truth.

What drew you to this story?

Following the completion of my film Fandango at the Wall, I entered a period of deep self inquiry asking myself, what film do I want to make next. I considered my own identity and whether I felt represented in the media and decided I did not. I asked myself, "If I were to make a film about a music artist with whom I closely identify, who would that be?" I sat with that question for a few weeks, then the name "Janis Ian" popped into my mind. I believe this is because when I was in high school I had listened to her album "Between the Lines" over and over crying because I felt so seen and heard by her music. Perhaps, her music, had, in a way, become part of my DNA.

What do you want people to think about?

I would love them to have that same feeling I had so many years ago when I listened to Janis Ian's album "Between the Lines." Seen and heard.

What was the biggest challenge in making this?

The aesthetic of this film is inspired by the art form of collage. It combines many disparate elements including archival photographs, archival footage, stock footage, animation, performance footage, present day interviews, text, and what I call "mood shots" which are my imagined fragments of Janis Ian's memories. The film also features a myriad of songs and score elements. The biggest challenge was to bring together all these elements spanning 73 years to create a compelling and cohesive whole.

What was the development process? How did you get green lit? (Is it a studio film, a crowdsourced film, somewhere in between?) Share some insights into how this got made.

This film was produced under the banner of my own production company Wild Rose Pictures in association with Groundstorm Media and American Masters Pictures. The idea originated with me like a lightning bolt. When it hit me, I felt I had to do it. I reached out to Janis Ian through her website. She viewed my prior work then we spoke and found that we had completed alignment regarding my desired approach to the film.

Once I secured Janis's permission to move forward with the production, I put together a producing team including Brooke Wentz, a long time friend and music rights supervisor and Alessandra Pasquino whose line producing prowess is unparalleled. Brooke Wentz brought on board Executive Producer and my fellow writer Pierre Hauser on the film. Pierre admired Janis Ian's music and had heard about me and my film work. It turned out he was a fan of my film Fandango at the Wall. Pierre's financial support made possible the creation of an 18 minute proof of concept which served to raise Janis Ian's confidence in the film and helped us secure additional funding that includes private individuals, grants, and a licensing fee from the PBS series American Masters.

What inspired you to become a storyteller?

I have always made art since I can remember. Making art is not what I do, it's who I am.

What’s the best and worst advice you've received?

The best advice I have ever received is in the Japanese saying, "Fall down seven times, stand up eight." The worst advice was a response to my desire to direct films from a director I had worked for as a script supervisor who I deeply admired. He said, "It's hard enough as it is and even harder if you're a woman. It will never happen. "

What advice do you have for other female creatives?

Make films you deeply care about. Just do it. Don't wait. There is always a solution out there waiting to be found.

Name your favorite woman directed film and why.

Films directed by women that I admire include Whale Rider by directed by Niki Caro, Boys Don't Cry directed by Kimberly Peirce, The Kids Are Alright & High Art directed by Lisa Cholodenko. I admire the way these films shatter stereotypes imposed upon women by tackling the complexity and unboundedness of female identity and sexuality.

Feel free to share anything else you would like people to know about this film.

We've sold out most of our festival screenings—perhaps this is because, like me, they found her music-filled rollercoaster life to be both inspiring and incredibly empowering.

Bio

I’m an “artivist” filmmaker whose global upbringing shaped my appreciation for diversity and empathy for the marginalized. My passion for cinema began in childhood—watching a drive-in film in Israel, hearing stories of my great-uncle’s producing work on a James Bond production, and making my first documentary at twelve with a Super 8 camera.

I started as a script supervisor for filmmakers like Jim Jarmusch and Wayne Wang before directing shorts, including Window, starring Louis Gossett Jr., which screened at Cannes. My first feature documentary honored a veteran’s dying wish, setting the stage for a career exploring outsider stories and resilience.

My first music documentary Big Voice won multiple awards, premiered on Netflix, and aired on PBS. My HBO/MAX documentary Fandango at the Wall, executive produced by Carlos Santana and Quincy Jones, transformed the U.S.- Mexico border from an object that divides to one that unites, inspiring a Grammy-winning album. I’ve also directed for FOX’s 9-1-1 and was a consulting producer on Netflix’s Anna Nicole Smith: You Don’t Know Me.

Recently, I directed The Cheech for PBS SoCal’s Artbound and completed Janis Ian: Breaking Silence about the life, music and times of trailblazing singer-songwriter Janis Ian, featuring Lily Tomlin, Joan Baez, and Jean Smart. Distributed by Greenwich Entertainment, it will premiere theatrically before airing on the PBS series American Masters.

My work has been supported by the Ford Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, Miranda Family Foundation, Jewish Story Partners, and the Ryan Murphy Half Initiative. I’m a member of the Directors Guild of America, International Documentary Association and Film Independent. When not making films, I love making art, listening to music, biking & hiking and exploring the world with my family.