Sloane: A Jazz Singer / Float!

synopsis

Sloane A Jazz Singer: Filmed days before her final live recording in New York City, jazz legend Carol Sloane reflects on her storied but largely unknown career involving everyone from Ella Fitzgerald to The Rolling Stones. In the 1960s, Sloane became an overnight sensation, hailed by Johnny Carson and later the Washington Post as "the greatest living jazz singer." But when the British Invasion of rock swept the country, her rising star faded as quickly as it rose, paving the way for devastating financial and emotional setbacks. Through rare archival footage, intimate moments with Sloane, and enlightening commentary from industry notables, we learn of this singular artist's adherence to her passion against great odds,and are invited to examine the meaning of success in a world where "art don't pay."

Float! Azza Cohen's FLOAT! is a short documentary that takes a dip into her grandmother's journey as she checks 'learning to swim' off her bucket list at 82 years young. Cinematic portrayals of aging too often lament the process, focusing on our immutable pasts at the expense of the possibilities ahead. And the media is notorious for devaluing older women. But what if we considered getting older through a lens of agency, exploration, satisfaction, strength, and exhilaration? What if 82 was just right for Bubbe to strip off her clothes and inhibitions (and our expectations), wrestle on a wetsuit, and dive headfirst into something new? FLOAT! encourages audiences to adjust our goggles and reframe our nostalgia for youth, our notions of beauty, and our assumptions about aging women's attitudes and utility. Join the charming and wise Bubbe as she boldly looks forward and inspires viewers to jump in with her; the water's warm.