Big Voice

Directed By Varda Bar-Kar

BIG VOICE captures a tumultuous year in the life of a visionary high school choir teacher and his students as they overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles to become one big voice in this inspiring musical documentary.

  • ABOUT
  • BIO
BIG VOICE chronicles a challenging year in the life of a determined public high school choir director as he pushes his students to achieve a high level of artistry and become “one big voice”, despite the many obstacles they face. Santa Monica High School Choir Director Jeffe Huls’ passion for the choral arts and music fuels his desire to exceed all standards and expectations. The results are hard won, yet exquisite. Following a series of competitive auditions, Mr. Huls compiles his dream ensemble - the most ideal combination of voices he’s ever had. He soon discovers that these thirty-two talented teenagers are also the most unwieldy group he has ever taught. Mr. Huls must convince his students to set aside their egos, conflicting styles, and teenage angst to achieve the artistry he knows they are capable of.BIG VOICE is a story brimming with musical performances as it interweaves slices of life, interviews, and masterwork performances that will sweep you away.

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.