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'Giving Voice' trailer: Viola Davis honors August Wilson, supports students

Nov. 19 (UPI) -- Netflix is giving a glimpse of the new documentary Giving Voice.

The streaming service shared a trailer for the film Thursday featuring actress Viola Davis and actor Denzel Washington.

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Giving Voice follows students in the annual August Wilson monologue competition. The competition is inspired by late playwright August Wilson, known for such plays as Fences and Ma Rainey's Black Bottom.

In the preview, Davis and Washington honor Wilson and reflect on how the playwright captured the Black experience.

"August was that one writer who saw me. When I say me, I do mean me but I also mean people like me," Davis says.

"I mean, he's talking about us. He's talking about me. I'm like, 'Oh, shoot. That's like my aunt up there,'" Washington adds.

The monologue competition started in 2006 following Wilson's death and gives young people a shot to perform on Broadway. The trailer shows how Wilson's voice lives on through a new generation of performers.

Giving Voice is directed by Jim Stern and Fernando Villena. Davis and Washington, who starred in the 2016 film adaptation of Fences, executive produce. The documentary features the song "Never Break" by John Legend.

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Giving Voice premieres Dec. 11 on Netflix.

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