Skip to main content
Documentary backdrop image for American Symphony (2023)
104 minPG-13documentaryWorth an evening
6.6/ 10(66 ratings)• TMDB
Music History
Deep Dive
Watch later

Synopsis

Eleven Grammy nominations mark a significant year for musician Jon Batiste as he navigates his wife's battle with leukemia.

Go deeper

What Critics Say

Matthew Heineman’s look at the Grammy-winning musician and his wife has moving moments but keeps us at a distance.
Radheyan SimonpillaiRead full article
November 22, 2023
Deep Dive

Why Watch

  • See Jon Batiste's Grammy-nominated music journey.
  • Meet Suleika Jaouad and learn about her leukemia battle.
  • Follow the candid moments of creativity under pressure.

Did You Know

  • Jon Batiste received 11 nominations at the 64th Annual Grammy Awards.
  • The film premiered at the Telluride Film Festival on August 31, 2023.
  • It was released on Netflix on November 29, 2023.
  • The film received a 93% positive rating from 27 critics on Rotten Tomatoes.

Perfect For

Music enthusiastsFans of biographical filmsCancer awareness advocates
Read full Deep Dive →
Frequently Asked Questions

Who directed American Symphony?

American Symphony was directed by Matthew Heineman.

When was American Symphony released on Netflix?

American Symphony was released on Netflix on November 29, 2023.

What nomination did American Symphony receive at the 96th Academy Awards?

American Symphony received a Best Original Song nomination for 'It Never Went Away' at the 96th Academy Awards.

Awards & Festivals

Comments

What are people saying?

Play More Like This

A Syrian Love Story (2015)
Worth an evening
1h16m

A Syrian Love Story

2015•1h16m•★6.8TMDB

Four years of conflict force Raghda and Amer to confront the dangers of life under the Assad regime while raising their two children in Syria.

A Syrian Love Story
2015
For Sama (2019)
Worth seeking out
1h40m

For Sama

2019•1h40m•★8.2TMDB

Five years of conflict in Aleppo are documented through the eyes of a journalist and mother raising her daughter amid the Syrian Civil War.

For Sama
2019
Presenting Princess Shaw (2025)
Worth an evening
1h20m

Presenting Princess Shaw

2025•1h20m•★6.7TMDB

Princess Shaw, a singer from New Orleans, shares her original songs on YouTube, hoping to connect with producers and find new opportunities.

Presenting Princess Shaw
2025
Addicts' Symphony (Addiction Documentary) (2018)
1h2m

Addicts' Symphony (Addiction Documentary)

2018•1h2m

Nearly 2 million addicts live in the UK, and ten of them join the London Symphony Orchestra for a concert aimed at overcoming their struggles with addiction.

Addicts' Symphony (Addiction Documentary)
2018
Stravinsky (2022)
Hidden gem — acclaimed but barely seen
50m

Stravinsky

2022•50m

Igor Stravinsky conducts the CBC Symphony Orchestra during a recording session of his Symphony of Psalms at Massey Hall in Toronto.

Stravinsky
2022
How Saba Kept Singing (2023)
1h20m

How Saba Kept Singing

2023•1h20m

A family returns to Europe to explore their grandfather's survival during the Holocaust, highlighting resilience through music and art in a film by Sara Taksler.

How Saba Kept Singing
2023
Malcolm and Barbara: Love's Farewell (Alzheimer's Documentary) (2016)
1h8m

Malcolm and Barbara: Love's Farewell (Alzheimer's Documentary)

2016•1h8m

Alzheimer's disease affects 1 in 3 older people, as shown through Malcolm Pointon's decline and his wife Barbara's struggle to cope with his illness.

Malcolm and Barbara: Love's Farewell (Alzheimer's Documentary)
2016
Viva Elvis (2023 Biography) directed by Gerardo Rissotti (2024)
49m

Viva Elvis (2023 Biography) directed by Gerardo Rissotti

2024•49m

Elvis Presley sold more than 1 billion records worldwide and starred in 33 films, becoming a key figure in 20th-century pop culture.

Viva Elvis (2023 Biography) directed by Gerardo Rissotti
2024
You Don't Know Ivan Julian | Punk Rock Documentary | Full Movie (2025)
53m

You Don't Know Ivan Julian | Punk Rock Documentary | Full Movie

2025•53m

Ivan Julian, a pioneering guitarist in New York's punk rock scene, reflects on his creative process and collaborations with notable artists like Richard Hell and Alejandro Escovedo.

You Don't Know Ivan Julian | Punk Rock Documentary | Full Movie
2025
The Many Faces Of Rembrandt - Raiders of the Lost Art S02E03 - True Crime (2023)
22m

The Many Faces Of Rembrandt - Raiders of the Lost Art S02E03 - True Crime

2023•22m

Rembrandt's artworks, created throughout his adult life, have been dispersed worldwide, each with its own unique history and significance.

The Many Faces Of Rembrandt - Raiders of the Lost Art S02E03 - True Crime
2023
Crafting History: Stained Glass Art (2022)
55m

Crafting History: Stained Glass Art

2022•55m

Rowan LeCompte and Dieter Goldkuhle create their final stained glass windows for Washington National Cathedral, showcasing a 1,500-year-old Christian craft.

Crafting History: Stained Glass Art
2022
Accordions Rising - Full Movie (2021)
1h14m

Accordions Rising - Full Movie

2021•1h14m

Accordions, often dismissed as mere folk instruments, are explored in their diverse cultural significance and musical versatility across various genres.

Accordions Rising - Full Movie
2021

Explore American Symphony

TrailerPeopleAwardsDeep DiveTopicsFAQStream

Where else to watch

Miss Sharon Jones! (2015)
Worth an evening
1h33m

Miss Sharon Jones!

2015•1h33m•★7.1TMDB

Sharon Jones, lead singer of the Dap-Kings, navigates a cancer diagnosis while striving to release a new album and maintain her musical career.

Miss Sharon Jones!
2015
Alive Inside (2014)
Worth seeking out
1h14m

Alive Inside

2014•1h14m•★7.6TMDB

Five million Americans live with Alzheimer's disease and dementia, often isolated in nursing homes, where music can help unlock their memories.

Alive Inside
2014
Unfinished Plan: The Path of Alain Johannes (2017)
1h30m

Unfinished Plan: The Path of Alain Johannes

2017•1h30m•★6.8TMDB

Alain Johannes returns to Chile after the death of his partner, Natasha, seeking inspiration and solace amid the landscapes that shape his music.

Unfinished Plan: The Path of Alain Johannes
2017
Balkan Melody (2012)
1h32m

Balkan Melody

2012•1h32m•★8.0TMDB

Musicians from Bulgaria, Germany, Romania, and Switzerland share their cultural stories and traditions centered on traditional Balkan music.

Balkan Melody
2012
Kinshasa Symphony (2010)
Worth an evening
1h35m

Kinshasa Symphony

2010•1h35m•★7.0TMDB

Ten million people live in Kinshasa, where the Orchestre Symphonique Kimbanguiste performs classical music amid the city's vibrant challenges.

Kinshasa Symphony
2010
Come See Me in the Good Light (2025)
Worth seeking out
1h44m

Come See Me in the Good Light

2025•1h44m•★7.3TMDB

Andrea Gibson reflects on their life in Longmont, Colorado, as they confront terminal ovarian cancer while exploring identity and poetry's impact on personal and political issues.

Come See Me in the Good Light
2025
Symphony for Our World (2018)
55m

Symphony for Our World

2018•55m•★8.0TMDB

A five-part composition accompanies National Geographic's natural history footage, celebrating the diverse elements of sea, shore, land, mountains, and sky.

Symphony for Our World
2018
With Sonia Wieder-Atherton (2003)
51m

With Sonia Wieder-Atherton

2003•51m•★5.9TMDB

Sonia Wieder-Atherton performs six musical pieces, including works by Schubert, Brahms, and Berio, while discussing her experiences and connection to music.

With Sonia Wieder-Atherton
2003

Browse more like this

Symphony (2011)
1h9m

Symphony

2011•1h9m•★7.5TMDB

A 2011 documentary features Simon Russell Beale analyzing the influence of symphonies on artistic expression and cultural identities throughout history.

Symphony
2011
Danielson: A Family Movie (or, Make a Joyful Noise Here) (2006)
1h50m

Danielson: A Family Movie (or, Make a Joyful Noise Here)

2006•1h50m•★9.0TMDB

Danielson performed at over 25 film festivals worldwide after premiering at the 2006 SXSW Film Festival.

Danielson: A Family Movie (or, Make a Joyful Noise Here)
2006
Liquid Vinyl (2005)
1h24m

Liquid Vinyl

2005•1h24m•★8.0TMDB

Superstar DJs discuss the history and future of electronic dance music, a genre that transformed club culture and elevated DJs to rock star status.

Liquid Vinyl
2005
Here's a Piano I Prepared Earlier (2005)
49m

Here's a Piano I Prepared Earlier

2005•49m•★7.0TMDB

Five musicians in the 1960s used unconventional methods like stuffing pianos with hay and rolling dice to select notes, challenging traditional music composition.

Here's a Piano I Prepared Earlier
2005

Browse more by Matthew Heineman

View all films →
City of Ghosts (2017)
Worth seeking out

City of Ghosts

2017

The Third Man (2016)

The Third Man

2016

Our Time (2009)

Our Time

2009

Cartel Land (2015)
Worth seeking out

Cartel Land

2015

The First Wave (2021)
Worth an evening

The First Wave

2021

The Boy from Medellín (2020)

The Boy from Medellín

2020

Tiger (2021)
Worth a watch

Tiger

2021

Escape Fire: The Fight to Rescue American Healthcare (2012)
Worth an evening

Escape Fire: The Fight to Rescue American Healthcare

2012

Related Films

Is this your film?

If you made this film or hold the rights to it, we'd like to talk. We can license it and pay you a share of what it earns.

License it with us →