The oldest of literary forms gets an energetic update in Greg Jacobs and Jon Siskel’s inspiring depiction of Chicago’s annual high school poetry contest. Louder Than a Bomb brings the familiar competition format to the world of slam poetry, achieving a blend of suspense and artistic expression in the process. Following four teams from across the city as they struggle to adapt their unique experiences and individual voices to this highly stylized mode of expression, the film also stops to explore the backgrounds of several of the contestants and offers a glimpse of the lives that are eventually woven into their verse. The soundtrack is a blend of hip-hop, jazz, and indie rock that works in sync with the teen’s performances.

Presented as part of the Depth of Field 2011-2012 Series: Art and Culture in Transit(ion)

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