‘Janis Ian: Breaking Silence’: New documentary reflects her life and career

Janis Ian has been part of our musical landscape for six decades. She began writing songs and poetry as a child growing up in rural New Jersey and has never stopped creating in her long and storied career. Social justice and fighting the good fight have been in Ian’s blood her entire life. From witnessing society’s inequities to personal love and loss, Janis Ian has put it all in song. A new documentary, Janis Ian: Breaking Silence, directed by Varda Bar-Kar, is now premiering at theaters in select cities across the United States and Canada.

The film reflects Janis Ian’s career path as an artist, and just as essential, the singer’s personal challenges. Born Janis Eddy Fink in 1951 in Farmingdale, N.J., she hit the ground running with support from progressive parents. This was the height of the Red Scare, which targeted communists and liberals who rallied against inequality. Her father, both a school teacher and chicken farmer, stood his ground against FBI agents who harassed him due to his racially integrated farming operation.

Janice Ian’s family encouraged her talent, and by age 14, she had written “Society’s Child,” about a black and white student couple in a relationship. It became a powerful statement about the dark cloud of society’s lack of tolerance. Ian describes how observing a young interracial couple showing affection on a bus, visually scrutinized by fellow passengers, influenced her writing of the song. The film weaves through the obstacles that hindered the record’s release and the pushback it received from certain segments of the public. Finally released by Verve Records in 1966, it became a huge chart success for the young musician. Performing the song live was not without incident. Janis Ian describes one appearance in which she temporarily left the stage in tears due to hostility in the audience, only to hold her head up and return to finish “Society’s Child” in defiance of the prejudiced element in the crowd.

At nearly two hours, the film’s abundance of material is covered by director Varda Bar-Kar, utilizing actors and scenarios to recreate important life events paired with commentary from the singer-songwriter herself. From drug addiction in the late 1960s to financial misfortune in the 1980s due to her accountant, it’s all here. Archival and newly filmed footage of Janis Ian is plentiful. At an IFC Center screening in New York City in which Janis Ian appeared with the director for a post-film discussion, an attendee remarked that, being a dedicated fan, he still learned so much from the documentary. This is a good indicator of the wide-ranging ground the film covers. Initially arriving as a talented folk singer in the mid-1960s, her eclectic musical tastes are also showcased, from performing jazz with Mel Tormé to creative success in Nashville.

Joan Baez, Arlo Guthrie, and Tom Paxton all contribute to Janis Ian: Breaking Silence, recalling with admiration and affection her early days performing at venues such as the Village Gate in Greenwich Village. Paxton explains how a talented and very young Janis Ian fit right in among the seasoned musicians. Lily Tomlin, Laurie Metcalf, and Kathy Mattea, among others, also share thoughts. A truly engrossing clip of Leonard Bernstein opens the film, showing a teenage Janis Ian interacting with the legendary composer on his television special. Two influential performers who sparked Janis Ian’s interest in a musical career were Odetta and Nina Simone, seen on the screen through archival footage.

Janis Ian’s personal relationships are as focused on in the film as the music. Ian married Patricia Snyder in Toronto in 2003. The two met while playing chess while they were both living in Nashville. At that time, same-sex marriages were legal in Canada, but not in the United States. Theirs was the first lesbian marriage featured in the vows column of The New York Times. Janis Ian’s personal journey has been a beacon of inspiration and support for the LGBTQ community. Her road to happiness, however, came with many bumps along the way. The film delves into various romantic bonds with both women and men throughout the years, some supportive, others abusive.

The year 1975 saw Janis Ian scoring the biggest hit of her career, “At Seventeen,” from the album Between the Lines. The lyrics are an emotional tour de force for anyone who felt like an outcast during adolescence. The song earned Janis Ian the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. At the IFC Center screening, Ian mentioned how the song resonated not only for women but also for some men throughout the years. During her mid-1970s stardom, following up such a hugely successful record wasn’t easy. The film reveals tensions with music producer and engineer Brooks Arthur (who passed away in 2022), as he passionately describes his dedication and subsequent artistic differences that the two had in the recording studio.

In 2022, Janis Ian released her last album, The Light at the End of the Line. She then struggled with a severe case of laryngitis, which unfortunately led to vocal scarring. Regrettably, canceling the remaining dates on her final tour, she is now retired from live performances. The documentary takes viewers along a journey from the 1950s to the present day, as we learn about this vibrant, engaging, and progressive artist both on and off the stage.

Janis Ian: Breaking Silence continues a theatrical run in select cities and will have its PBS television premiere on American Masters later this year.

Janis Ian and Vardar Bar-Kar appeared at the IFC Center for screenings and Q&A discussions on March 27-29. The trailer can be viewed here.