Award-winning filmmakers Joe Brewster and Michèle Stephenson are turning their lens toward one of the most influential figures in American history — actor, singer, and activist Paul Robeson — in a new feature documentary that promises to illuminate the monumental scope of his life and legacy.
Produced by Rise Films, Rada Studio, and Impact Partners, the untitled project will be the first to have full access to the Robeson Family Trust archives. The film will be produced by Academy Award nominee Teddy Leifer (All That Breathes), Guy Horlock, Susan Robeson (Paul Robeson’s granddaughter), alongside Brewster and Stephenson.
A Visionary Legacy Revisited
Paul Robeson (1898–1976) was a towering cultural figure who transcended nearly every boundary of his time. In an era when opportunity for Black Americans was virtually nonexistent, he became a celebrated scholar-athlete at Rutgers University, earned a law degree from Columbia while playing in the early NFL, and rose to global acclaim as a singer and actor. His performances in Othello, The Emperor Jones, and Show Boat — particularly his unforgettable rendition of “Ol’ Man River” — cemented his reputation as an artist of unmatched depth and dignity.
But Robeson’s courage extended far beyond the stage. A vocal activist, he spoke out against fascism, colonialism, and racial injustice long before it was safe to do so. His solidarity with movements such as the fight against fascists in the Spanish Civil War, the push for Indian independence, and his outspoken criticism of U.S. imperialism led to government surveillance and professional blacklisting during the McCarthy era.
“Gen Zers and young millennials may recognize his name on buildings and monuments, but few truly understand the magnitude of who Paul Robeson was,” the filmmakers shared. “He was a radical visionary whose sacrifices laid the foundation for the civil rights and Black Power movements that followed.”
The project marks another major collaboration between Brewster and Stephenson, whose acclaimed works include Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project (winner of the 2023 Sundance U.S. Grand Jury Prize and a Primetime Emmy), Black Girls Play: The Story of Hand Games, and American Promise. Their latest documentary, True North, premiered at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival.
“Directing a film about Paul Robeson represents a significant achievement in our careers,” the pair said. “His legacy as a multifaceted artist and activist resonates deeply in today’s social climate. We hope to honor his contributions and inspire new generations to engage in the ongoing fight for justice and equality.”
Producer Susan Robeson added, “This is the first time the Robeson Family Trust has agreed to fully open our archive to non-fiction filmmakers. We’ve waited twenty-five years for the right team to tell his story — and we’ve found that in Michèle, Joe, and Rise Films.”
Executive producers include Jenny Raskin, Geralyn White Dreyfous, Kelsey Koenig, Bill & Ruth Ann Harnisch (The Harnisch Foundation), Adam & Melony Lewis, Meadow Fund, and Jim & Susan Swartz. Co-executive producers are Chris Boeckmann, Natasha & David Dolby, Marni E. J. Grossman, Dwight & Kirsten Poler, and Katrina vanden Heuvel. The project is being made in association with The deNovo Initiative, with David Matlin representing Rise Films and Ivan D. Smith representing The Robeson Family Trust.
Robeson’s life remains a study in courage and conviction. Historian Martin Bauml Duberman’s acclaimed 1989 biography describes his rise and downfall: a celebrated performer who became a political target for his radical beliefs, ultimately blacklisted and stripped of his passport for his advocacy. Yet he remained unyielding — a symbol of resistance and resilience whose legacy still echoes through movements for equality and artistic freedom today.
As Brewster and Stephenson prepare to bring his story to the screen, this long-awaited documentary will finally reintroduce Paul Robeson not just as a name from history — but as a force who changed it.