‘Speaking Truth to Power’ in theaters and on demand August 20 Greenwich Entertainment
Barbara Lee: Speaking Truth To Power is an intimate, inspiring, and timely portrait of Congresswoman Barbara Lee, a true pioneer on behalf of racial and economic justice and the lone voice in opposition to the authorization of military force after the September 11th attacks. A unique selection of political commentators, activists, politicians, and family members add depth to the story of the highest-ranking African American woman in the United States Congress. BARBARA LEE: Speaking Truth to Power is a Greenwich Entertainment release, runs 83 minutes, is in English, and is not rated by the MPA.
Directed by Peabody Award-winning filmmaker and Bay Area resident Abby Ginzberg, BARBARA LEE: Speaking Truth to Power tells the complex story of Representative Barbara Lee, a steadfast voice for human rights, peace and equality in the U.S. Congress for over two decades. The film introduces the audience to a number of strong African American female leaders, including of course Barbara Lee, who is now the highest ranking African American woman in Congress; Pulitzer prize winning author Alice Walker, Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester, the only representative from Delaware; Rep. Ayanna Pressley, the first African American woman to be elected to Congress from Massachusetts; and Rep. Gwen Moore, who represents Milwaukee, WI. The film also features Senator Cory Booker, Rep. John Lewis, Rep. Ayanna Pressley, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, CNN commentator Van Jones, and actor Danny Glover, who all share insights about what makes Barbara Lee unique as a public servant and as a truth-telling African American woman.
Barbara Lee is one of the few members of Congress who returns home every week to meet with constituents. When she was the lone vote against giving President George unlimited military authority in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, she received death threats and was denounced by many in the press. Yet thousands of members of Barbara’s district welcomed her home with support and love, coining the phrase, Barbara Lee Speaks for Me—as true sentiment and bumper sticker.
Lee has spent her life fighting inequality and racism, uplifting the stories of those falling through the cracks and speaking truth to power. The protests and reactions to George Floyd’s death have only elevated her visibility in Congress and the country as she has called for a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to confront the legacy of slavery and racism in the U.S. and propose ways forward. She has been working on the idea for three years but the current pressures of the coronavirus pandemic and civil unrest only make it more timely. “The environment that has been created makes this resolution and this
effort more important,” Lee said in the SF Chronicle.
With our support of diversity and inclusion and the ongoing push to continue bringing awareness, the director Abby Ginzberg curated a rare female crew who worked on Barbara Lee: Speaking Truth to Power, including Stephanie Mechura, Shola Lynch, Joslyn Rose Lyons, Rachel Antell, and Jennifer Petrucelli.
“Women still face significant challenges both behind the camera and in front of it. We had a very strong female-centric team and I think that helped us craft a universal film. We took our direction and inspiration from our subject, Barbara Lee, and that enabled us to weave a complex story around a very solid foundation. Barbara’s ethics, her respect for her colleagues and constituents and her willingness to take a tough stand and stick by it for twenty years, motivated all of us to help do justice to her story.” Abby Ginzberg, Director “Barbara Lee: Speaking Truth to Power”
With a partnership with STARZ Entertainment and their #TaketheLead initiative, Barbara Lee: Speaking Truth to Power was helmed by a rate female team of women in film, which includes Director/Producer Abby Ginzberg, Editor Stephanie Mechura, Producers Shola Lynch and Joslyn
Rose Lyons, and Archival Researchers Rachel Antell and Jennifer Petrucelli.
SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER IN THEATERS AND ON DEMAND AUGUST 20 Greenwich
Entertainment
Special Oakland Sneak Preview August 2, at 7pm at the Grand Lake
Theater in Oakland
For more information:
Coming in December to STARZ!
