Joan Baez I Am a Noise
Guests Expected
Joan Baez, Miri Navasky, Karen O’Connor
Description
In her 20s, Joan Baez was the undisputed queen of folk music, one of the first people to recognize Bob Dylan’s talent and record his songs (the two would also make another kind of music together for a while), and someone who used her rising celebrity to fight for civil rights and justice and against the war in Vietnam. This entrancing documentary takes a long look back at Baez’s wild ride while following the longtime San Mateo County resident on her 2018/2019 Fare Thee Well Tour. The final Baez standing after the deaths of her two sisters and her parents, Baez gives an account not just of her singular life of art and activism but also spins a complicated family story. Music, archival material, and oral history combine for a stunning glimpse into the voice of a generation.
Special Thanks
Thank you to Festival sponsors:
Crisanta de Guzman & Bryce Lee
Jennifer Hymes Battat
Shelby Rachleff
WITH SUPPORT FROM
Miri Navasky co-founded Mead Street Films with Karen O’Connor more than two decades ago. Her films include The Suicide Plan, which delves into the hidden world of assisted suicide; The Undertaking, an exploration of mortality and grief in a Michigan town; The New Asylums, a wrenching portrait of mentally ill prisoners; and Growing Up Trans. Her films have won numerous awards, including the Emmy Award, the Banff Award, the DuPont-Columbia Award, and the RFK Grand Prize Journalism.
Maeve O’Boyle is an Emmy-award winning filmmaker. Her work includes The Education of Mohammad Hussein (HBO), shortlisted for an Academy Award. Other award-winning work has premiered at TIFF, IDFA, FullFrame, Hot Docs, Sheffield Doc/Fest, BFI, and AFI Docs and has broadcast on HBO, PBS, BBC, ZDF, ARTE, and Netflix.
Karen O’Connor is an award-winning filmmaker who’s made provocative and immersive documentaries about complex social issues. O’Connor’s films, produced, written and directed with Miri Navasky include, The New Asylums, a wrenching portrait of mentally ill prisoners; The Undertaking, a moving exploration of mortality and grief; and Growing Up Trans, a powerful exploration of the struggle transgender children and their parents face. Her films have won the Banff Award, the RFK Grand Prize for Journalism, the Emmy and the DuPont Columbia Award.
Film Details
LanguageAmerican Sign Language, English
Year2023
Runtime109
CountryUSA, France, Ireland, UK, Turkey
DirectorMiri Navasky, Maeve O’Boyle, Karen O’Connor
ProducerKaren O'Connor, Miri Navasky
Executive ProducerGreg Sarris, Patti Smith, Josh Braun, Ben Braun, Terry Press
EditorMaeve O'Boyle
CinematographerWolfgang Held, Ben McCoy, Tim Grucza
MusicSarah Lynch
Closed CaptionsYes, closed captions are available for this screening. Please let us know if you would like a device when purchasing your ticket or by emailing ADA@SFFilm.org.
Audio DescriptionAudio Descriptions are not currently confirmed and will be updated soon.
American Sign Language (ASL) InterpretationAmerican Sign Language (ASL) interpretation will be provided at this event. Please let us know if you would like to reserve a seat with optimal visibility when purchasing your ticket or by emailing ADA@sffilm.org.
