Pilgrim Media Group’s newest documentary feature, Giving Voice premiered this weekend at the Sundance Film Festival to much acclaim. The film, directed by James D. Stern and Fernando Villena, follows a group of young upcoming actors, each competing in the 2018 August Wilson Monologue Competition. The competition celebrates the works of a lauded African American playwright who died suddenly at age 60 of cancer, while lifting up young hopefuls in minority communities.
While celebration of the film was evident at the festival, the reviews have only just started to come in. Beandrea July of the Hollywood Reporter called the film “the best kind of “feel-good” doc: one that organically moves you in a way you didn’t see coming,” adding “Giving Voice is definitely a movie that anyone who enjoys good acting will want to see. Actors for the stage and the screen in particular will emerge from the theater inspired and fired up to get back to work. In today’s saturated media environment, it’s heartening to be reminded that exposure to theater can be a lifeline for the kids who need it most.”
Giving Voice is a film that tugs at heartstrings while simultaneously providing hope for a better world. As July puts it, “The authenticity of the teenage stars is undoubtedly the doc’s greatest asset.” “It’s not an exaggeration to say that [one competitor’s] performance in the final round is positively breathtaking.”
