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Abba: Against All Odds, directed by James Rogan and produced for BBC/Netflix to mark the 50th anniversary of the quartet’s 1974 Eurovision victory, frames its narrative entirely through archival material. Spanning the watershed moment in Brighton when “Waterloo” vaulted Sweden onto the pop stage through the group’s gradual withdrawal by the early 1980s, the documentary invites viewers into a time capsule of sequined jumpsuits and television broadcasts.

Rogan’s choice to forgo new, on-camera interviews underscores the film’s role as a living scrapbook: viewers sense the electricity of live performance and press clippings exactly as they appeared. This approach foregrounds how historical artifacts can speak across decades, offering both immediacy and distance.

As the doc unfolds, it quietly asks why remembering Abba’s inception matters now—when globalization has remixed cultural exchange into instantaneous digital streams, Rogan’s film reminds us that even pop sensations emerge from...

Celine Dion's new documentary, "Celine: I Am," offers a raw and intimate look into the singer's life, focusing on her diagnosis of stiff-person syndrome and the impact it has had on her career and personal life. The documentary also highlights Dion's dependency on medication to function and her experience of a spasm on camera, adding transparency to the already raw documentary. While filming the documentary, Dion was working on the soundtrack for the 2023 romantic comedy film Love Again, and she participated in the documentary about Australian singer John Farnham.

Prime Video's I Am: Celine Dion is honest and informative, revealing some fascinating details about the singer's life. Directed by Irene Taylor, I Am hears largely from Dion as she brings audiences up to date on the state of her health. In late 2022, Dion shared with the world that she had recently been diagnosed with stiff-person syndrome (Sps...

I Am is a deeply emotional documentary that emphasizes Celine Dion's vulnerability and perseverance through her battle with stiff-person syndrome. Director Irene Taylor maintains intimacy and focus when exploring the renowned singer's journey back to her full vocal range. While limited to Dion's perspective, the film is a riveting and compelling snapshot of a superstar's humanity beyond the concert lights.

Celine Dions voice has always been a powerhouse. Even those who arent overly familiar with every one of Dion's songs know the range of her voice and the strength behind it, how seamlessly it moves from one note to the other. I Am: Celine Dion, the documentary directed by Irene Taylor, highlights the esteemed singers vocals as though it were a character unto itself. Dion, who was diagnosed with the neurological disorder of stiff-person syndrome, struggles with her diagnosis and what it means for her singing.

I Am:...

The new Amazon Prime documentary I Am: Celine Dion offers a gripping and heartbreaking portrait of one of history’s greatest voices struggling to sing again. Directed by Irene Taylor and streaming now, the film pulls back the curtain on Celine Dion as she navigates her stiff-person syndrome diagnosis and fights to keep the rare disorder from taking control of her body and her beloved voice. Here’s everything we learned from the new film.

Dion has been struggling with spasms for nearly two decades

Dion first had issues with her muscles spasming 17 years ago.

The Bee Gees, The Go-Go’s, David Bowie, the Grateful Dead, Louis Armstrong, the Velvet Underground, and Tina Turner have something more in common than just musical greatness. They’ll all been the subject of recent documentaries, part of an explosion in popularity of the nonfiction genre.

Record companies used to be relatively passive partners in documentary making – licensing songs here and there. But with streaming platforms, theatrical distributors, and cable networks avid for music-driven docs and series, labels are stepping up to deliver nonfiction content themselves. Sony Music’s Premium Content Division has become a leader in the space.

“We have an incredible opportunity to pair up some of the best music artists in the world with some of the best filmmakers in the world and create new art between them,” notes Krista Wegener, EVP Premium Content Development, Sales and Distribution. “That’s a really exciting proposition and something...

The students from a Victorian school are making their stage – and screen – debut in This is Going to Be Big, a documentary about their efforts to put on a school play

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Being in the school play is a pivotal part of many teenagers’ educational experience: friendships are formed, stage fright overcome, memories made. But imagine if your school play was documented live by a camera crew, then released as a film for the world to see.

That’s the reality for the students at Sunbury and Macedon Ranges specialist school in Bullengarook, Victoria who make their stage and screen debut in This is Going to Be Big: a documentary following the production of their John Farnham jukebox musical, titled The Time-Travelling Trio, from auditions to rehearsals to opening night.

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This eulogistic documentary has Farnham’s blessing, but we learn very little about the man himself as everyone else reflects on his career

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The biggest question I had going into director Poppy Stockell’s documentary about the beloved Australian singer John Farnham is: how many times will it deploy that song? You know, the one reminding us that we’re all someone’s daughter, we’re all someone’s son. The song that arrived in 1986 and became seared on to the national psyche, to be played and replayed ad infinitum, and may God curse the swinish face of any so-called ’Strayan who doesn’t like it.

Will You’re the Voice be played once? Twice? Will it be reserved for the last act? How long can we look at each other keep watching a Farnesy doco without hearing this amazingly catchy tune about standing up to injustice?...

By Glenn Charlie Dunks

You’re a little bit damned if you do and a little bit damned if you don’t when it comes to musician bio-docs these days. They remain prolific, a cottage industry that is popular with audiences and easy choices for distributors and sales agents with a built-in audience. It makes sense that we get so many of them each year. And if you’re not inclined to watch so many of them, you may not be as burnt out on them as I appear to be. But—and I swear I’m not just being grumpy—are they actually getting worse, too? They certainly don’t seem to be getting any better, with most choosing to abandon any real directorial vision in favour of standard story beats.

Three recent examples all have strong elements, telling their subject’s life story in ways that I have...

Sony released documentary 'John Farnham: Finding the Voice' yesterday on 275 screens, making it the widest Australian theatrical release of the year so far. Director Poppy Stockell talks to If about how she found Farnham's career followed the monomyth.

The post “This is an incredible story. It’s got it all”: Poppy Stockell traces John Farnham’s hero’s journey appeared first on If Magazine.

Keith Reid, who cowrote the lyrics for most of Procol Harum’s original songs, died March 23 of cancer, his wife confirmed. No details on location were provided.

Reid was a writer on Procol Harum’s biggest hit, 1967’s “A Whiter Shade of Pale,” as well as on group classics as “A Salty Dog,” “Conquistador,” “Shine on Brightly” and “Grand Hotel.”

Born on October 19, 1946, in Hertfordshire, England, Reid began collaborating with Procol Harum keyboardist Gary Brooker in the 1960s. One of their first joint efforts, “A Whiter Shade of Pale,” reached No. 1 in their native U.K., as well as in Australia, Canada, and several European countries. It also reached No. 5 on Billboard’s Hot 100 singles chart in the U.S.

Although not a performing member of Procol Harum, Reid was essential to the group’s mystique. His sometimes-oblique lyrics kept fans guessing as to interpretations, fueling discussions that kept the...

A trio of music icons and a legendary racehorse are among the subjects of 10 projects to receive $2.3 million in documentary production funding from Screen Australia.

Of the those earmarked for funding, eight will be supported through the Producer Program, and two through the Commissioned Program.

They include feature documentaries about John Farnham, Ruby Hunter, and Archie Roach, as well as racehorse Winx.

There is also a follow-up to the 2016 documentary Embrace, entitled Embrace Kids.

Screen Australia head of documentary Alex West said an “impressive mix” of projects had rounded out the agency’s documentary funding for 2019/20.

“It’s great to support so many feature documentaries covering a range of exciting topics, including shining a light on a number of Australian icons, and I’m confident they will captivate audiences,” he said.

The Commissioned Program projects are:

Nurses: A 10-part series from ITV Studios Australia for the Seven Network about the nurses in Nsw.

Until there is diverse representation on stage and screen, not all Australians will feel acknowledged as a part of the society they live in, according Ursula Yovich.

The Burarra and Serbian actress, playwright, singer and songwriter delivered the inaugural Nida Naidoc Week Lecture yesterday, using her speech to call for cultural change that will lead to greater representation in the arts.

Yovich recounted that when she was young, she loved singing and religiously woke up at 6am each Saturday morning to watch ABC’s Rage.

And yet it wasn’t until she saw Whitney Houston for the first time that she ever imagined that a singing career was viable.

“I loved Tina Arena, John Farnham, Something for Kate, Crowded House, Wendy Matthews, Inxs, Australian Crawl, Midnight Oil and Icehouse. But I never felt that I could actually become a singer, because that career path was not for people like me.

Miley Cyrus and Lil Nas X will be headlining the bushfire relief concert at Melbourne's Lakeside Stadium on March 13, ahead of the Australian Grand Prix.

The 27-year-old singer will be joined by an all-star lineup, including rapper Lil Nas X, The Veronicas and DJ Seb Fontaine for the World Tour Bushfire Relief charity concert in Melbourne.

Also Read:?Miley Cyrus reveals why she wasn't invited to 2020 Grammy Awards

Taking to twitter, Cyrus revealed that the money raised from ticket sales "will go to Australian charities working to restore forests, wildlife, and communities affected by the devastating fires".

"Australia! I?m so excited to announce I?m headlining the World Tour Bushfire Relief charity concert on Friday March 13th in Melbourne !! Bringing out @LilNasX + more!", she tweeted along with a heart emoji.

Miley will be performing for the first time in Australia since her ?Bangerz? tour in 2013, while Lil Nas X...

In a recorded video message played during the Fire Fight Australia bushfire relief concert on Sunday, actor Russell Crowe gives a stark warning and call to action about dealing with the climate crisis. More than 70,000 people attended the 10-hour the concert at Anz Stadium in Sydney organised by comedian Celeste Barber, with artists including Queen with Adam Lambert, 5 Seconds of Summer, Guy Sebastian, John Farnham  and Kd Lang...

Fox will air Fire Fight Australia, a benefit concert featuring Queen, Adam Lambert, Michael Bublé, k.d. lang, 5 Seconds of Summer and other musical acts, on Saturday, February 29.

The U.S. network’s special coverage of the event, which is set to take place this Sunday at Sydney’s Anz Stadium, will air from 11 p.m. to midnight Et/Pt on the 29th. Olivia Newton-John will host the Fox telecast.

In Australia, the concert will air live on Sunday on Channel 7 and 7plus, and Fox8 and Foxtel Go.

Alice Cooper and Ronan Keating are also in the show lineup, along with a number of Australian music notables. The roster of those performing live includes Amy Shark, Baker Boy, Conrad Sewell, Daryl Braithwaite, Delta Goodrem, Grinspoon, Guy Sebastian, Hilltop Hoods, Icehouse, Illy, Jessica Mauboy, John Farnham, Lee Kernaghan, Peking Duk, Pete Murray, Tina Arena and William Barton.

The event, slated to last 10 hours,...

The star-studded Fire Fight Australia benefit concert, hosted by comedian Celeste Barber, has officially sold out.

Fire Fight Australia will see Anz Stadium in Sydney Olympic Park on February 16 play host to international and local music icons as they unite to share one stage for Australia during its time of need.

All concert ticket profits and all contributions through Ticketek will go towards these key organisations providing vital “Rescue”, “Relief and Recovery” and “Rehabilitation”: Rural and regional fire services, Red Cross Disaster Relief and Recovery, and Rspca Bushfire Appeal.

Among the acts expected to perform at the concert are Alice Cooper, Queen + Adam Lambert, Delta Goodrem, John Farnham, Kd Lang, Olivia Newton-John and many more. All profits will go to national bushfire relief.

Find out more here.

From: https://www.looktothestars.org/news/19527-fire-fight-australia-benefit-concert-is-now-sold-out

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Gem Wheeler Aug 15, 2017

2007s' Hot Rod arrives at its tenth birthday - and there's plenty here to celebrate...

Stuntman extraordinaire Rod Kimble is about to face the challenge of his life. If he can jump fifteen buses on his motorbike – that’s one more than Evel Knievel; you can check, online – and raise the $50,000 required for his stepdad Frank’s life-saving surgery, he’ll be acclaimed as a hero. Far more importantly, he’ll also be able to kick Frank’s ass. Rod’s been mocked and bullied by his stepdad for a long time. This is his chance to prove himself as a man, gain Frank’s respect, and win the heart of his next-door neighbour, Denise. There’s only one problem: Rod’s never actually managed to perform a stunt successfully. Ancestors, protect him…

Since its release in 2007, Hot Rod’s gradually attained the well-deserved cult classic status...