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Deep Dive: Billie (2020)

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Billie
Billie is a 2019 documentary directed by James Erskine, focusing on the life of Billie Holiday through audio interviews conducted by Linda Lipnack Kuehl in the 1970s. Kuehl was researching a biography on Holiday that was never completed due to her untimely death in 1978. The film intertwines Holiday's story with Kuehl's obsession, presenting voices from friends, family, and notable figures in the jazz world, including Count Basie and Charles Mingus. The documentary premiered at the Telluride Film Festival in September 2019 and has been characterized as a raw character study. It captures Holiday's complex personality, revealing her as both combative and vulnerable. The film has received recognition, including a longlisting for a BAFTA and winning Documentary of the Year at the 2021 JJA Jazz Awards.

Why Watch

  • •Meet Billie Holiday through personal stories.
  • •See interviews with jazz legends like Count Basie.
  • •Find out about Kuehl's unfinished biography.

Did You Know

•Linda Lipnack Kuehl died in 1978, and her body was found on a street.
•Billie Holiday's estate was involved as producers for the film.
•The film features interviews with prominent jazz figures from the 1930s.

Perfect For

Jazz history enthusiastsBillie Holiday fansDocumentary lovers