Joan Baez: I Am A Noise
By Kit Macdonald
Excellent timing for a screening of Karen O'Connor, Miri Navasky, and Maeve O'Boyle's wonderful 2023 documentary, given the ubiquity of A Complete Unknown at Verdi and just about every other cinema in the city right now. The much-loved protest singer's complex relationship with Bob Dylan is just one strand of Baez's life that the film skilfully and warmly explores via a blend of archival footage, personal letters and candid interviews.
As well as the great Baez-Dylan subject, I Am A Noise delves into her human rights advocacy and her evolving understanding of herself beyond her public persona. It also follows her as she embarks on her farewell tour, revealing a moment of deep introspection for her as she confronts painful memories from her past while finding peace through music and reflection.