Billie

Film

Billie

6.920201h 36m12DocumentaryMusic
United Kingdom · United States · Belgium
Age rating
12
Director
James Erskine
Year
2020

She sang the truth, she paid the price

‘Lady Day’ was one of the greatest jazz vocalists the world ever heard. In 1971, journalist Linda Lipnack Kuehl set out to write the definitive biography of Billie Holiday. Before her mysterious death in 1978, Lipnack Kuehl had taped over 200 hours of interviews. The tapes have never been heard. Now they form the basis of an atmospheric, multi-layered documentary that captures the many complex facets of a proud black woman, violent drug addict, loyal friend, vindictive lover and unforgettable singer of ‘God Bless The Child’, ‘Saddest Tale’ and the haunting ‘Strange Fruit’.

Top cast

Directed by

James Erskine

Written by

James Erskine

Produced by

Victoria Gregory, Barry Clark Ewers, James Erskine, Laure Vaysse