The Baddest Speechwriter of All

The Baddest Speechwriter of All
dir. Ben Proudfoot, Stephen Curry/USA/2026/29 min

-> Film presented in the Short Competition. BLOCK 3

Directed by 4x NBA Champion Stephen Curry and 2x Academy Award®-winner Ben Proudfoot, ”The Baddest Speechwriter of All” is rivetingly told by 95-year-old Clarence B. Jones - Juilliard-trained clarinetist, music copyright lawyer, and ultimately Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s trusted lawyer and speechwriter. Personally recruited by Dr. King in the early days of the Civil Rights Movement, the headstrong attorney was forced to choose between the security of his successful life or a path of purpose that would forever alter history. From the steps of Juilliard to the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, Jones reflects on the decisions that led him to advise Dr. King and help craft the first seven paragraphs of the iconic “I Have a Dream” speech.

 

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projection time:
29 min
country/year:
USA /2026
director:
Ben Proudfoot, Stephen Curry
original language of the film:
English
pictures:
Brandon Somerhalder
editor:
Nick Garnham Wright, Tim Johnson
production:
Stephen Curry, Erick Peyton, Ben Proudfoot / Breakwater Studios, Unanimous Media, Madison Wells
festivals and awards:
2026 - Sundance: Short Film Grand Jury Prize, 2026 - MDAG: European Premiere
sections:
competitions:
trigger warnings:
racism (reference)
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