Screening as part of TradFest 2024, on January 27th at 15.30.

This work-in-progress documentary follows the life journey and transcendent artistry of groundbreaking American singer-songwriter Janis Ian.

In the mid-‘60s, Janis Ian, a tiny, teenage, Jewish singer-songwriter from New Jersey scored a hit with “Society’s Child” a song about an interracial couple which brought fame but also controversy. In 1975, she re-emerged with “At Seventeen” a massive hit which touched the lives of young men and women the world over. Twenty years later, with the release of her album Breaking Silence (1992) she addressed the rising teen suicide rate in the LGBTQ+ community by talking openly about her loving relationship with her wife Pat Snyder. In 2022, Janis released her final album, Light at the End of the Line, and embarked on a poignant tour bidding farewell to her fans.

This screening will be followed by a conversation with director Varda Bar-Kar and Janis Ian.

Notes by Sunnvia O’Flynn