A wunderkind, an outsider, a free thinker, a lesbian burned by the music machine JANIS IAN emerged from the ashes to create songs that defined a generation.
JANIS IAN AND THE ART OF SONG is a three part documentary series about the life and music of Janis Ian, an American singer-songwriter who achieved national fame in the 1960s her songs "Society's Child" about a troubled interracial relationship and at world fame in the 1970s for "At Seventeen", a song that embodies the heartache of an ugly duckling teenager who longs to belong. In 1993 Janis came out declaring her marriage to the love of her life, Pat Schneider in the album “Breaking Silence”. Like the folk songs she grew up with, her lyrics tell stories that reveal the human condition with raw honesty. Sometimes sad, sometimes funny, always frank, Janis's songs speak to the complexity of humanity. In what has historically been a male-dominated industry, there have been a few innovative and ground-breaking female musicians who have paved the way for women in modern music. Janis Ian is one of them. From the start, Janis Ian defied stereotypes wearing pants and little make-up when doing so was considered a rebellious act. Her courageous life journey twists and turns like her home state New Jersey's Jet-Star roller coaster. She became famous at fifteen, a has-been at seventeen, and a superstar at twenty-seven. The story of Janis Ian is the story of musical genius, grit, and an unstoppable spirit. She has made 21 albums and released 17 singles. Her songs have hit the top 100 Billboard Charts in the United States, Japan, Australia, Europe, and South Africa. She is a two-time Grammy Award Winner with six Grammy Nominations. JANIS IAN was born in 1951 in The Bronx, NY to progressive second-generation American Jews struggling to make ends meet under the thumb of McCarthyism. A musical prodigy, Janis dreamed of becoming famous. Her dream came true when she turned 15. That's also when her nightmares began.
Award-winning director Varda Bar-Kar develops and directs meaningful and engaging documentaries, feature films, and episodic television. Varda was born in England and lived on three different continents by the time she was ten years old. She is an "artivist" filmmaker, focusing her lens on subjects that explore the breadth and diversity of the human condition. Varda transitioned to directing from work as a script supervisor for maverick directors like Jim Jarmusch, Wayne Wang, and Carroll Ballard. Her films have won multiple awards, enjoyed robust viewerships, and enthusiastic online audience ratings and user reviews. Her documentary, "Big Voice," premiered on Netflix and was broadcast on PBS, winning a Bronze Telly Award. "Big Voice" was screened at the United States Capitol as part of a campaign advocating for arts education. HBO MAX premiered Varda's bi-national music documentary "Fandango at the Wall," executive produced by Quincy Jones and Carlos Santana. "Fandango at the Wall" spawned a Grammy-winning album, was screened at the United States Library of Congress, and was presented internationally by Democrats Abroad, highlighting the power of cross-cultural diplomacy. PBS SoCal commissioned Varda to make "The Cheech" with producer Alessandra Pasquino. "The Cheech," which highlights Cheech Marin's passion for Chicano art, has garnered awards from the Los Angeles Press Club and is nominated for a Los Angeles Emmy Award.
Varda's newest award-winning film, "Janis Ian: Breaking Silence" (Greenwich Entertainment) had a limited theatrical run, digital release, and a national broadcast premiere on the PBS series American Masters. Varda is a mentee of Ryan Murphy’s Half Foundation and has directed episodes of Fox's hit show 9-1-1. She's a Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio and Jewish Film Institute resident, and a recipient of grants from the Ford Foundation, the Kenneth Rainin Foundation, & Jewish Story Partners.
San Diego Latino Film Festival 2020 - Best Feature Documentary and Audience Award
Florida Film Festival 2020 - Grand Jury Award Nominee
Ford Foundation 2019 - Grant Recipient
Miranda Family Foundation 2019 - Grant Recipient
Cast - Janis Ian
Cast - Lily Tomlin
Cast - Joan Baez
Cast - Arlo Guthrie
