Directors JOARDAN W. BARROW & MATT EDWARDS (United States 2021) 95 min
Through poetry, animation, and intimate selfie videos, this affirming documentary explores the power of the spoken word through the voices of five Black and brown L.A. high schoolers. The poets are a part of “Get Lit”—the nonprofit program with the mission to increase literacy, empower youth, and inspire communities since 2006. The film unfolds as each student finds poetry, their sustained connection to the art, and how they use the power of words to heal and cope with the ever-present realities of their worlds. When 2020 COVID lockdown rules impact their programs and crew, watch as each of these dynamic students process the quickly changing world and their place in it going forward. Although they share vastly different experiences, what becomes clear in the film is the positive impact their art has on their lives and others.