Documentarians Jennifer Tiexiera (“P.S. Burn This Letter Please”—CIFF45) and Guy Mossman (“Feels Good Man”) clear their throats and join the world of public speaking competitions, as five politically-minded high schoolers vie for the top prize. Nominated for the Grand Jury Prize – Documentary at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.

SPEAK follows five of the nation’s top teenage speech competitors, capturing the euphoria of victory and the devastation of defeat as they craft and perform original oratories over the nine-month season. Their dream is simple: to win the Super Bowl of public speaking, the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) Nationals. We witness them, their coaches, and their parents as they fight to keep school speech programs alive amid budget cuts, book bans, and censorship efforts that reach a fever pitch during the 2024 election year. The film begins at the 2023 NSDA competition, introducing our eclectic orators: Noor, Noah, Sam, Mfaz, and Esther, the two-time reigning national champion in Oratory. We follow them to the 2024 Nationals, where Esther hopes to beat the record—set by SPEAK’s Executive Producer, Josh Gad, in 1999. SPEAK captures the passion, joy, and courage of unforgettable teens using their voices to change hearts and minds. This documentary is the perfect antidote for these fraught times—intense, funny, and most of all, hopeful.

GUEST(S) ARE SCHEDULED TO BE IN ATTENDANCE FOR Q&A

Post-screening Q&A and Student Performance:

After the screening, director Guy Mossman will answer audience questions before being joined by local National Speech & Debate Association student champions, who will perform excerpts of their original oratory. Don't miss it!

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