When I Rise

2010 ""

When I Rise

8.4 | 1h14m | en | Documentary

A documentary about Barbara Smith Conrad, a gifted University of Texas music student who finds herself at the epicenter of racial controversy, struggling against the odds and ultimately ascending to the heights of international opera. A gifted black music student at the University of Texas is thrust into a civil rights storm that changes her life forever. Barbara Smith Conrad is cast in an opera opposite a white male classmate fueling a racist backlash from members of the Texas legislature. Barbara's expulsion from the cast escalates the incident to national news, prompting unexpected support from a pop superstar. This small-town girl, whose voice and spirit stem from her roots in East Texas, emerges as an internationally celebrated mezzo-soprano and headlines on stages worldwide.

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8.4 | 1h14m | en | Documentary | More Info

Released: March. 14,2010 | Released Producted By: , Country: Budget: 0 Revenue: 0 Official Website:

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Mat Hames

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Reviews

MartinHafer Barbara Smith Conrad came to the attention of the media when she was in college at the University of Texas. She was chosen for the lead in a school opera but HUGE problems came about because she was black and the leading man was white. Nowadays, such a thing is no big deal but in segregated Texas of the late 1950s, it was a HUGE deal--with even national newspapers and the famous singer Harry Belafonte getting into the fray! However, this is only PART of the story. It seems that it was only the beginning for Conrad, as she jumped from this event to New York--and to a serious career in the music industry--becoming a famous opera diva. So, the film is NOT just about racism but about her life following this event. Interesting and well worth seeing.

alt0512 The life of Barbara Smith Conrad is one of courage, hope and love. This film tells her story through the struggle, disappointments, perseverance, and ultimate success of a girl whose love of music and hope for an education brought her to the University of Texas during the Civil Rights movement and placed her at the center of racial controversy in Texas.I saw this premiere at SXSW and a week later am still thinking about the importance of this story. Important because it documents an era in our history that should never be forgotten and important because it reminds us what can be achieved even against great odds.Mat Hames directed a beautiful film that draws you in not just with the story itself, but with the music, photography, interviews, original photos and film footage. I laughed, I cried, I felt shame for a time in our history, and I felt joy for the life of Barbara Smith Conrad. I loved this film - a perfect 10!!!

scttfrgsn Saw this movie when it premiered in Austin at South By Southwest. This is a powerful movie that tells the amazing story of Barbara Smith Conrad, the impact of racism on her as a student at the University of Texas and on her career, and how she overcame all of it to become one of the most famous women in opera. The director, Mat Hames, does an amazing job capturing the hurt and the hope and taking the audience along the journey of Mrs. Conrad. The movie is beautifully filmed, using many original photos, newspaper headlines, and news footage and interviews from the day intermingled with current and more recent footage and interviews. 10 stars without reservation!

JustCuriosity Like Denzel Washington's feature film The Great Debaters, When I Rise retrieves a long-forgotten piece of Texas's contentious Civil Rights history. Not surprisingly, When I Rise was very well-received in its World Premiere at SXSW. The story of how Barbara Smith Conrad was denied the opportunity to perform in an Opera at the University of Texas-Austin at the dawn of Civil Rights movement provides a very personal window into the racism of that era. The film is beautiful and sensitively made and provides a story of redemption for both Conrad and ultimately the University which supported the project. This film should be widely viewed so that young people today can come to understand that today's more tolerant multicultural society has been achieved only through a long and difficult struggle that should never be forgotten. Conrad provides an excellent role model of grace and perseverance.