The documentary “Joan Baez – A cantiga é uma arma” takes a journey through the life of the American singer and activist, on and off stage, through her last tour in 2019. SIC spoke with two of the film’s three directors.
In 2019, Joan Baez decided to leave the stage, with a world tour, which celebrated 55 years of her career.
Directors Maeve O’Boyle, Miri Navasky and Karen O’Connor accompanied the artist and captured several moments on stage and other more intimate ones, which now make up the documentary “Joan Baez – A cantiga é uma arma”.
“We said to her, ‘Joan, if we’re going to do this, it has to be completely transparent,’ and she said yes. The first few days we went to a singing lesson with her and she told us we couldn’t film it. We had several conversations , until she decided to show everything”, admits director Miri Navask to SIC.
The film also included personal videos, drawings, diaries, photographs and recordings that reveal a search for identity that the American singer and activist has experienced over the years.
“There are multiple voices to try to access different parts of the struggle of who she is,” explains director Maeve O’Boyle.
Joan Baez has been in the spotlight since she was 18, was on the cover of Time magazine at age 21, fought alongside Martin Luther King Jr. for civil rights and was also marked by her romance with Bob Dylan.
Recently turned 84, Joan continues to be often nicknamed the “Queen of Folk” and has become a legend for many, on and off the stage.
