The 9 Lives of Barbara Dane

This biographical documentary chronicles the life of singer-activist Barbara Dane, who passed away on October 20, 2024, at the age of 97. It’s a wonderful examination of her involvement in 20th Century social movements, and her unbending commitment to music and justice despite obscurity and challenges. 

Pick a 20th Century social justice movement, and this unsung hero was probably there. Standing strong with her singular confidence, Dane emanated the people-powered connectivity of folk, the defiance of blues and the elemental cool of jazz. Rich in archival material and testimonials, including those from Bonnie Raitt and Jane Fonda, the film explores the legacy of a woman whose career defied conventions, even attracting the attention of J. Edgar Hoover, resulting in a five-inch-thick file with the FBI. 

Come along with Dane as she joins (then gets kicked out of) the Communist Party in 1950, sings with a who’s who of legendary jazz and blues performers, opens her own wildly popular North Beach blues club featuring Big Mama Thornton and T-Bone Walker, sings at Freedom Schools in Mississippi, shares the stage with Pete Seeger, Joan Baez, and Phil Ochs, and collaborates with activist/actress Jane Fonda in the anti-Vietnam War GI Coffee House Movement. Travel with Dane as she becomes the first American performer to break the post-revolution U.S. embargo with Cuba at the Encuentro del Canto Popular (Protest Song Gathering) organized by Cuban musicians, an experience that prompted her to found Paredon Records. Through this label, she amplified the struggles and celebrated the triumphs of artists and activists worldwide. 

This is the third and final film in our Fall 2026 series, will hold special interest for those who remember those times and loved the music of the day. 

The Mississippi Mills Film Society gratefully acknowledges our partnership with Film Circuit, presented by TIFF, and its sponsors and supporters. For more information about Film Circuit and to view a full list of their sponsors and supporters, please visit www.tiff.net/filmcircuit. 

See you at the movies!