Taylor Swift Documentary Revelations and Other Sundance Truths

PARK CITY, Utah — As The Sundance Film Festival continues its 10-day marathon of films, panels, parties and music, there is buzz about breakout films and themes that emotionally connect with filmmakers and audiences. Most attendees, both film lovers and distributors, are looking to discover the next big film.

I spent the early part of the festival watching documentaries and found two winners, one of which you can see by the end of the week.

Taylor Swift’s Documentary Sings

Miss Americana, a Netflix-produced documentary on Taylor Swift, screened in the coveted opening night slot in the 1,269 seat Eccles Theater. While the film is not the stereotypical Sundance documentary — it’s tightly-constructed, highly-polished and true to the Taylor Swift brand — it represents much of what Sundance is now about. Streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon either seeking content or showcase their own in one of the year’s most exciting film festivals.

Most reviewers characterized this documentary by director Lana Wilson (director of After Tiller in the 2013 Sundance Film Festival) as a coming of age film where Swift embraces her own power as an advocate, both for herself and for political causes. That is true, but the film is so much more.

In early moments of the film, Swift receives a call informing her that her album, Reputation, was not nominated for a Grammy. While obviously crestfallen, she hesitates, and says, “It’s OK. I just have to make a better album next time.” The first part of the film shows what it is like to be Taylor Swift with its unrelenting scrutiny, criticism and security issues. Interlacing childhood photos, journals, early performances and previously unseen videos, her meteoric rise to stardom is astonishing.

The second half of Miss Americana focuses on Swift’s struggles with body image, being groped by a radio broadcaster (am incident that resulted in a highly publicized lawsuit) and the on-going Kanye West feud. These challenges are transformative for her, as she stopped trying to be all things to all people and made the risky but empowering choice to be a vocal advocate for women and equality.

The real magic in Miss Americana happens when Swift is in the recording studio and magically crafts the songs that are part of her Grammy nominated album Lover. She effortlessly turns a phrase and the movie will leave little doubt in any viewer’s mind as to why she is one of the best songwriters of our time. Swift comes across as smart, charming, funny and open.

As with any documentary, there is always a question of what was left out. There was no mention of Swift’s impact on improving royalty payments for songwriters. Nor is there any explanation of the basis of Swift’s political beliefs, or her dispute with her former manager. These, however, are small quibbles.

In the question and answer following the film, Swift, dressed in a plaid jumpsuit, said “having someone (the filmmaker) in the studio is something I’ve never done before because there is so much ridiculous adlibbing that you do when you are writing songs that it sounds ridiculous until it sounds all right.”

Taylor Swift fans will adore the film. Those unfamiliar with her music and those who didn’t like her before may gain a newfound respect for her. Cat people will be purring over the appearance of her cats at the dinner table, on her plane and in the strings of a piano.

None of you will have to wait long as Netflix will begin streaming the film this Friday, January 31.

Katy’s Sundance Star

Boys State is a documentary (financed by philanthropist Laurene Powell Jobs) that follows 1,000 Texas high-potential high school students who come together to create a representative government over a seven day period. The exercise is sponsored by the American Legion and held annually in each state. Its alumni include former president Bill Clinton, Senator Cory Booker, Russ Limbaugh and former Vice President Dick Cheney.

Filmmakers Jess Moss and Amanda McBaine were drawn to the Texas Boys State after reading that the 2017 Texas Boys State voted to secede from the United States as part of their platform. Coming after the election of Donald Trump, they wondered if this was foreshadowing a time when compromise was impossible and decided to film the 2019 Texas Boys State.

The boys, who arrived in Austin in June 2019, were separated into two parties and charged with establishing platforms and campaigning for leadership positions. Armed with 24 cameras and filming 24 hours a day for seven days, the filmmakers focused on four boys.

Once the campaigning began, the best and worst of American politics emerged. Gun control and abortion rights were debated in strident voices. Boys were filmed acknowledging they didn’t agree with the platform but needed to keep quiet because winning was more important. Others were filmed using Instagram accounts to discredit candidates. Sounds like today’s political news, doesn’t it?

Steven Garza, a graduate of Mayde Creek High School in Katy ISD who is the son of one time undocumented immigrants, turns out to be the real hero of Boys State. Garza, who campaigns for Boys State governor, faces negative and dishonest campaigning yet his courage, quiet leadership and a desire to find solutions to disparate viewpoints created an emotional arc to the film.

The film and its four featured boys, who were all in attendance, received an raucous standing ovation. At the Q&A afterwards one of the leaders of the negative campaigning toward Garza commented that when he saw himself on screen it made him reconsider his “win at all costs philosophy.” Garza, who proudly introduced his mother to Sundance crowd, is planning a career in politics and has already addressed the Texas State Democratic convention.

As the Q&A wrapped up, one audience member stood up and said “This is why we come to Sundance – to see films like this that give us hope.” Apple and A24 have acquired the global rights to Boys State and will release the film theatrically later this year before it steams on Apple TV.

Jane Howze is managing director of The Alexander Group, a national executive search firm headquartered in Houston with offices in New York, San Francisco and San Diego. For more on Jane’s daily Sundance adventures check out her Twitter and Instagram feeds.