Billie Holiday: A Sensation

Billie Holiday: A Sensation

52 mins | Documentary, Music, TV Movie | April 7, 2015

A documentary about the legendary jazz singer Billie Holiday (1915-1959). There exist many myths and legends about the Jazz Singer Billie Holiday — one of the greatest voices of the last century. Most of them tell the story of the tragic victim of drugs, alcohol, men, color, or the circumstances of her upbringing. To some extent she contributed herself to these legends, especially in her autobiography "Lady Sings the Blues". In recent years, more and more records and reports have shown a different picture of her. These statements of confidants, colleagues and friends clean up with many of the legends and show a strong personality who has been anything but a pitiable victim. Billie Holiday was a strong-willed and determined person and a very complex personality who did not correspond to the classic victim type.

Billie Holiday: A Sensation

52 mins | Documentary, Music, TV Movie | April 7, 2015

Billie Holiday: A Sensation
A documentary about the legendary jazz singer Billie Holiday (1915-1959). There exist many myths and legends about the Jazz Singer Billie Holiday — one of the greatest voices of the last century. Most of them tell the story of the tragic victim of drugs, alcohol, men, color, or the circumstances of her upbringing. To some extent she contributed herself to these legends, especially in her autobiography "Lady Sings the Blues". In recent years, more and more records and reports have shown a different picture of her. These statements of confidants, colleagues and friends clean up with many of the legends and show a strong personality who has been anything but a pitiable victim. Billie Holiday was a strong-willed and determined person and a very complex personality who did not correspond to the classic victim type.
Producers Tag/Traum Filmproduktion, SWR/Arte
Original title Billie Holiday: A Sensation
Directors Katja Duregger
Writers

Cast

Billie Holiday

as herself

Julia Blackburn

as Herself

Cassandra Wilson

as Herself

Dee Dee Bridgewater

as Herself

Dan Morgenstern

as Himself