In the world of celebrity documentaries, hagiographies reign supreme. Rare is the film that fulfills its promises of intimacy, vulnerability and never-before-seen perspectives. The films are generally risk-avoidant exercises that have perfected the optical illusion of making subjects seem closer than they actually are.
abandons tricks of the eye for an unflinching look at the subject’s new reality. The doc chronicles the Canadian singer’s struggles with Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS), a rare neurological disorder that causes muscular rigidity and severe spasms. After years of gesturing toward symptoms related to the condition, Dion shared a full account of her health issues in a December 2022 Instagram post.
“I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to reach out to you,” Dion says in the video, looking into the camera with warm intensity. Her voice trembles with the weight of sadness and disappointment. She continues: “As you know I’ve always been an open book, I wasn’t ready to say anything before, but I’m ready now.
” In , the singer demonstrates the extent of her readiness. Directed by ( ), the film builds on the confessional energy of the Instagram video by inviting fans to bear witness to her struggles with SPS. It is at once a moving tribute to Dion’s legacy, a peek into how this condition has challenged her gifts and an attempt to help the pop star wrestle with what this means for her future.
Taylor, working with DP Nick Midwig, fashions a verité-style doc.