SlamNation

This documentary by filmmaker Paul Devlin presents the subculture of spoken-word slams, framing it in the context of a sporting event. Focusing on the 1996 National Poetry Slam, the movie reveals how the highly competitive events are structured and captures crowd-rousing performances, often delivered in fast-paced street-smart slang. Also presented is the more introspective side of the pursuit, with many slam poets, including Saul Williams and Beau Sia, evincing deeply philosophical streaks. …