Watch the emotional 1st trailer for upcoming Céline Dion documentary
CBC Music | Posted: May 23, 2024 3:35 PM | Last Updated: May 23
The film, which goes behind the scenes of the singer's recent diagnosis, will air June 25
"My voice is the conductor of my life."
Céline Dion announced a documentary about her life and challenges with stiff-person syndrome in January 2024, and now the much-anticipated film has an emotional trailer.
Titled I Am Céline Dion, the feature-length documentary by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Irene Taylor will take "viewers on a journey inside Céline'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," according to the earlier press release.
Opening with an archival clip of Dion belting into a microphone — then asking, "Is the sound man OK?" with a smile — the familiar notes of her 2002 hit "I'm Alive" play as the pop superstar talks about her passion for singing. "When your voice brings you joy, you're the best of yourself. I need my instrument," she says. The trailer then cuts to a 911 call and Dion's recent diagnosis with stiff-person syndrome, revealing in a handful of heartbreaking clips how hard the illness has been on her.
WATCH | The trailer for the upcoming documentary:
In a recent interview with Vogue, Dion detailed how she's been dealing with physical and vocal challenges as far back as 2008. But despite various tests, nothing was found, and she kept living her life. Then the pandemic hit, and she was forced to slow down.
"After years and years of playing hide-and-seek with myself, with my friends, with my family, with my kids," she told the magazine, "I no longer wanted to be brave. I had tried as long as I could. It was time for me to be smart." She was eventually diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome, and hasn't been able to perform since.
In I Am Céline Dion, the singer will take fans behind the scenes of what she's been facing. "I wanted to do it as a documentary because it's not a quick thing, and there is no quick fix to what I've gone through," she told Vogue. "It's not just about vocal exercising and doing Pilates. It's rehabilitation physically and vocally, emotionally and spiritually — the whole shebang. And I want this story to be told in a classy way. I respect my fans and myself enough for them to know the full truth."
I Am Céline Dion will air on Prime Video on June 25.