James Baldwin: The Price of the Ticket traces Baldwin’s trajectory from his childhood in 1930s Harlem through his work and travels in Europe and the US. Eschewing narration, the film combines archival materials from numerous sources, excerpts from Baldwin’s writing, and interviews with friends and colleagues to create a striking portrait of the author, activist, and cultural critic. Maya Angelou, Amiri Baraka, Ishmael Reed, and others speak to Baldwin’s legacy and his unique and compelling contribution to twentieth-century thought. “A haunting, beautifully made biography” (Los Angeles Times).