Giving Voice
Filmmaker Q&A Screened Friday, July 16, 2021 (Film Available to Watch On Your Own Through Netflix)
Filmmaker Conversation with James D. Stern, Director & Producer, and John Priddy, Windrider Institute CEO and Co-Founder; Live Q&A and Panel Discussion with President and CEO of the August Wilson Cultural Center Janis Burley Wilson and storyteller and activist Celeste Lescene
CONVERSATION AND PANEL DISCUSSION
Giving Voice follows the lives of six high school students as they compete in the August Wilson Monologue Competition. August Wilson was an award-winning American playwright, who wrote about the African American experience. Viola Davis described his writing by saying, “He captures our humor, our vulnerabilities, our tragedies, our trauma. And he humanizes us. And he allows us to talk.”
THE LENS OF HOPE
The film shows the power of helping young people (and all people) find their own voice and let different voices create a rich symphony of cultures.
Filmmakers: James D. Stern & Fernando Villena
Run time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Winner of 2019 Sundance Festival Favorite Award
Press for Giving Voice
“…in capturing these moments, Giving Voice becomes as inspirational as [August] Wilson’s words, as fulfilling as each teen’s declaration of self-worth.”
-Robert Daniels, The New York Times
“In a lovely way, the title “Giving Voice” works both ways. Wilson gave voice to characters and experiences overlooked by mainstream theater. Those plays gave Black actors a chance to use their voices playing complex characters telling the truth about their lives. And this competition gives a new generation a chance to use their voices, returning the favor by keeping Wilson’s own voice alive.”
-Nell Minow, RogerEbert.com