BARBARA LEE: SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER, a feature length documentary, tells the complex story of Representative Barbara Lee, a steadfast voice for human rights, peace and economic and racial justice in the US Congress who cut her teeth as a volunteer for the Black Panther Party and was the lone vote in opposition to the broad authorization of military force following the September 11th attacks. In 2001, she issued a strident warning in the House of Representatives: “Let us not become the evil we deplore,” and today she continues that clarion call, demanding that Congress stand up to a president who has escalated tensions with numerous foreign governments, while seeding division within his own country.
BARBARA LEE: SPEAKING TRUTH TO POWER REVEALS how many of the challenges faced by Barbara Lee early in her life provided her with the motivation and commitment to improve the lives of others throughout her tenure as an elected representative. With unique access to a sitting member of Congress, this film not only introduces the public to Barbara Lee but to many others such as Senator Cory Booker, Rep. John Lewis, Rep. Ayanna Pressley, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, CNN commentator Van Jones, actor Danny Glover and author Alice Walker who all share insights about what makes Barbara Lee unique as a public servant and as a truth-telling African American woman.
Abby Ginzberg, a Peabody award-winning director, has been producing compelling documentaries about race and social justice for over 35 years. Her latest film, Shaking It Up: The Life and Times of Liz Carpenter (co-directed with Christy Carpenter) premiered at SXSW in March, 2024 in the Documentary Spotlight section. Her short film, Judging Juries, premiered at the Pan African Film Festival in February, 2024, and won an Outstanding Achievement award from the Accolade Global Film Awards. Her film, Barbara Lee: Speaking Truth to Power, won the 2022 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Documentary. This intimate and compelling film, about Representative Barbara Lee, who is best known for her lone NO vote against the use of military force following the 9/11 attacks, is available on Amazon Prime and Starz. Abby also produced A Double Life, directed by Catherine Masud, which premiered at the 2023 Mill Valley Film Festival and won an Audience Favorite award.
Abby is also the co-producer of American Justice on Trial, co-directed by Andrew Abrahams and Herb Ferrette, which premiered at the 2022 San Francisco International Film Festival, and won Best Short documentary from the Pan African Film Festival. Waging Change, her 2019 documentary, is about the challenges faced by tipped servers who are forced to rely on their tips and the federal tipped minimum wage of $2.13 per hour. It was broadcast on public television in February and March 2021.
