Fan Casting A Voice Unchained

by Harpo Productions, Participant Media, A24, Focus Features, Blumhouse Productions

Story added by kamsismith on October 24, 2024

Story Plot

In the heart of 18th-century America, amidst the cruelty of slavery and the birth of a nation, a remarkable voice rises—Phillis Wheatley, a young African girl who would become one of the first published Black poets in history. A Voice Unchained is the powerful and inspiring biopic that chronicles her journey from enslavement to literary icon, overcoming unimaginable odds to reshape the boundaries of identity, race, and artistic freedom. Torn from her homeland at the age of seven and sold into slavery, Phillis is purchased by the Wheatley family of Boston. Though enslaved, her intellect and passion for learning draw the attention of her owners, who educate her in classical literature, history, and theology—an unthinkable opportunity for someone in her position. Yet her brilliance transcends even these boundaries. This film follows Phillis’s ascent as she writes poetry that captivates colonial America and the Atlantic world, challenging deeply rooted prejudices and the dehumanizing institution of slavery. As her fame grows, she travels to London to publish her work and meets prominent abolitionists while navigating the complex and often painful contradictions of her success as both an acclaimed poet and an enslaved woman.

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