Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsEmmysToronto Int'l Film FestivalHispanic Heritage MonthIMDb Stars to WatchSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayMost popular celebsCelebrity news
    Help centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Beyoncé: Life Is But a Dream

  • TV Movie
  • 2013
  • Not Rated
  • 1h 28m
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
2.3K
YOUR RATING
Beyoncé: Life Is But a Dream (2013)
DocumentaryMusic

A look at the life and music of singer Beyonce Knowles.A look at the life and music of singer Beyonce Knowles.A look at the life and music of singer Beyonce Knowles.

  • Directors
    • Beyoncé
    • Ed Burke
    • Ilan Y. Benatar
  • Writers
    • Beyoncé
    • Ilan Y. Benatar
    • Ed Burke
  • Stars
    • Beyoncé
    • Ilan Y. Benatar
    • Ebony Knowles
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.6/10
    2.3K
    YOUR RATING
    • Directors
      • Beyoncé
      • Ed Burke
      • Ilan Y. Benatar
    • Writers
      • Beyoncé
      • Ilan Y. Benatar
      • Ed Burke
    • Stars
      • Beyoncé
      • Ilan Y. Benatar
      • Ebony Knowles
    • 14User reviews
    • 4Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination total

    Photos9

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 6
    View Poster

    Top cast31

    Edit
    Beyoncé
    Beyoncé
    • Self
    • (as Beyoncé Knowles)
    Ilan Y. Benatar
    • Self - Interviewer
    • (as Ilan Benatar)
    Ebony Knowles
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Solange
    Solange
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    • (as Solange Knowles)
    Mathew Knowles
    • Self - Beyoncé Knowles' Father
    • (archive footage)
    Kelly Rowland
    Kelly Rowland
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Michelle Williams
    Michelle Williams
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Juelz Knowles
    • Self - Beyoncé Knowles's Nephew
    Jay-Z
    Jay-Z
    • Self
    Champion
    • Self - Mozambican Dancer
    Mario
    • Self - Mozambican Dancer
    Tina Knowles
    • Self - Beyoncé Knowles' Mother
    Laurent Bourgeois
    Laurent Bourgeois
    • Self - Dancer
    Larry Bourgeois
    Larry Bourgeois
    • Self - Dancer
    Kimmie Gipson
    • Self - Dancer
    Amandy Fernandez
    • Self - Dancer
    Sarah Alice Burns
    • Self - Dancer
    • (as Sarah Burns)
    Ksyn Cason
    • Self - Dancer
    • (as Tanesha Cason)
    • Directors
      • Beyoncé
      • Ed Burke
      • Ilan Y. Benatar
    • Writers
      • Beyoncé
      • Ilan Y. Benatar
      • Ed Burke
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews14

    6.62.3K
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    7jbmd03

    Beautiful documentary, little moments all strung together.

    I feel like I've just seen a different film than a lot of the other reviewers here. I found it to be really warm, open and positive. It's a beautiful series of little moments all strung together, or a joining of the dots as Beyonce likes to put it. She's got a beautiful conversational tone throughout that feels like catching up with an old friend, there's a definite generosity of spirit there. What I found really interesting was her courageous approach to her life, she lets herself be vulnerable, questioning, fierce, sensitive, hard-edged and celebratory. She embraces all of herself in a very honest way. I really just enjoyed it for what it was.
    1ikbenshagadelic

    She gave the fans what she wanted!

    A jumbled mess of unrelated scenes lacking in narrative and structure.

    Clips of archive footage are obviously pre-selected by Beyonce herself in a vain attempt to seem down to earth.

    It backfires due to the complete transparency of the attempted ruse. The footage is set-up to make Beyonce seem deep and spiritual but the obvious script results in a 60 minute non-sensical string of non sequiturs.

    Nothing more than a vehicle of self praise, self pity and the dishonest rambling of a delusional woman.

    Contains nothing of note.
    2arelis-852-329586

    A shallow documentary with no real insight in Beyonce's personal life

    Had they gone into Beyonce's upbringing, childhood and family more, it could have been interesting. But, it is really sanitized, obviously left out anything for the public to learn about the real Beyonce. If this is truly a documentary about her true life, well then she is incredibly boring. The opposite purpose of what documentaries are supposed to be about. Jay Z comes off a bit lame. She comes off as a bit annoying because she goes on about how she is the verdict of her Grandmaother's prayers, and too much on her connection with God. If they added something a general person can relate to that would have helped, but the director can't be very proud of this one. If he is, he doesn't have much to offer moving forward
    10dbrown72-539-968284

    She gave the fans what we wanted

    Showing true humility, softness, fierceness and beauty. Just enough of her life to not over expose her but enough to create lactation for the 1.8 million fans watching the debut & the millions that will continue to watch it for the first time.

    It is relatively geared for a woman to watch. All the "we run the world, girls" and ups & downs of pregnancy (that sincerely make a woman want to have a child) I think is suited for a woman to watch.

    A solid majority of the documentary is filmed with beyonce's computer. It almost inspires me to do some self recording...haha.

    Keep on being the best in the business, Beyonce & Jay.
    1MrRockatansky

    Me Me Me Me Me Me!!!!.......zzzzzzzz

    Beyoncé is the star, executive producer, narrator, co-writer and co-director of this film, which pretty much tells you what the real purpose of this "documentary" is. Only the true "beylievers" could enjoy this, for only Beyoncé's biggest fans could look beyond the amount of superficiality and narcissism in this film. It's essentially just the film equivalent of taking lots of flattering pictures of yourself.

    Beyonce talks into her laptop camera like a narcissist staring at them self in the mirror with complete delight and fascination while she desperately tries to make herself appear a deep and thoughtful artist, but fails miserably because she's actually just a manufactured pop star.

    Despite the fact that she dances around in tight clothes and sings subservient songs about men putting "a ring on it", Beyoncé also seems to think she's an authority on feminism, saying: "It's not about equal rights; it's about how we think." Ironically, I am still thinking that one over.

    There is also one moment where Beyoncé hilariously lacks perspective and complains that this current generation is too obsessed with image and superficiality, when this is a superficial documentary that she made in order to enhance her image.

    The only thing I learned from this film is how surprisingly unintelligent Beyonce is.

    Best Emmys Moments

    Best Emmys Moments
    Discover nominees and winners, red carpet looks, and more from the Emmys!

    More like this

    Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé
    7.6
    Homecoming: A Film by Beyoncé
    Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé
    8.6
    Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé
    Lemonade
    8.3
    Lemonade
    Black Is King
    6.0
    Black Is King
    Beyoncé visual album
    8.9
    Beyoncé visual album
    Beyoncé's I Am... World Tour
    8.0
    Beyoncé's I Am... World Tour
    On the Run Tour: Beyonce and Jay Z
    8.0
    On the Run Tour: Beyonce and Jay Z
    Renaissance...
    8.8
    Renaissance...
    Beyoncé Bowl
    7.1
    Beyoncé Bowl
    Beyoncé x Verizon: Can't B Broken
    7.0
    Beyoncé x Verizon: Can't B Broken
    Beyoncé - I Am... Yours. An Intimate Performance at Wynn Las Vegas
    8.3
    Beyoncé - I Am... Yours. An Intimate Performance at Wynn Las Vegas
    Beyoncé Live at Roseland: Elements of 4
    8.4
    Beyoncé Live at Roseland: Elements of 4

    Related interests

    Dziga Vertov in Man with a Movie Camera (1929)
    Documentary
    Prince and Apollonia Kotero in Purple Rain (1984)
    Music

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Beyoncé's song Heartbeat hasn't been fully released.
    • Quotes

      Beyoncé: I said I'm going to take a risk and I'm going to bring R&B music back and I'm going to add bridges to songs and chord changes. I'm going to sing about love and do the opposite of what I thought I was going to do. I'm not going to try to be cool, forget being cool, I'm going to be honest, I'm going to be sad, I'm going to be passionate, I'm going to be vulnerable, I'm going to sing from my heart.

    • Connections
      Referenced in Go'kväll: Episode #32.30 (2013)
    • Soundtracks
      Love on Top
      Written by Beyoncé, Shea Taylor (as Robert Taylor) and The-Dream (as Terius Nash)

      Performed by Beyoncé

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 16, 2013 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Жизнь как сон
    • Production companies
      • ICM Partners
      • Parkwood Entertainment
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 28m(88 min)

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb App
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.