Amazon MGM Studios has acquired worldwide rights to the new documentary I Am Celine Dion, directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Irene Taylor. It’s being produced by Sony Music Vision, in partnership with Sony Music Entertainment Canada and Vermilion Films.
According to an announcement from the studios, “This intimate exploration takes viewers on a journey inside Celine’s past and present as she reveals her battle with Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS) and the lengths she has gone to continue performing for her beloved and loyal fans. From visiting her couture touring wardrobe and personal effects to spending time in the recording studio, the documentary captures a global megastar’s never-before-seen private life.”
Release date has not yet been announced for the film, which will be streaming on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.
Stiff Person Syndrome is a rare neurological disorder that affects one’s ability to control muscular movement. In announcing the film, Celine Dion herself acknowledged that the last couple of years have been “such a challenge for me—the journey from discovering my condition to learning how to live with and manage it, but not to let it define me. As the road to resuming my performing career continues, I have realized how much I have missed it, of being able to see my fans. During this absence, I decided I wanted to document this part of my life, to try to raise awareness of this little-known condition, to help others who share this diagnosis.”
Since her debut at the age of 13, Celine Dion has sold more than 250 million albums over a career spanning four decades. She won five Grammies, two Oscars, and was recognized by the 2004 World Music Awards as being the best-selling female artist of all time.
Jennifer Salke, who heads Amazon MGM Studios, added that “Celine Dion is a global megastar with a career defined not only by her extraordinary work ethic and passion, but by her dedication to her fans. “This documentary is a raw, intimate portrayal of a pivotal time in her personal life and career, pulling back the curtain on her journey as she overcomes an unthinkable diagnosis. It’s an honor to be trusted with her story, and we can’t wait to share it with Prime Video audiences around the world.”
Irene Taylor’s most recent film, Trees and Other Entanglements was released last year by HBO. She also won awards for several films she made about deafness—both her father and son were hearing-impaired. They included Moonlight Sonata: Deafness in Three Movements, about Ludwig von Beethoven and Hear and Now. Her film The Final Inch was nominated for an Academy Award and several Emmys.
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