Aarcflick

 What do Oprah, Josh Gad, and judge Ketanji Brown Jackson have in common? The answer to this historic audience question is that they both competed in the National Speech and Debate Tournament. Since its inception in 1931, the world's largest academic competition has brought together thousands upon thousands of middle and high school students to debate current affairs. However, the key lies in the stories each contestant brings, the unique and personal anecdotes that imbue each speech with a humanity that is often lost beneath generic newspaper headlines. In "Speak," directors Jennifer Tiexiera and Guy Mossman follow five of these individuals on their journey to the championship—five very different American teenagers who deal with this pressure and their own desires and needs over the course of a year. Sudanese-born Mfaz Mohamed Ali (17) practices public speaking daily through TikTok posts for her 3.3 million followers. “Passion is key in public speaking,” Mfaz asserts, an...