A clever combination of archival footage, journal entries, old photographs and talking head interviews, this documentary presents a complete portrait of Nina Simone. A classically trained pianist, Simone became known for jazz and blues and for her activism during the Civil Rights movement. The premise of the documentary comes from a quote by Maya Angelou, and the film slowly answers the question "What happened, Miss Simone?" In a very honest way, the film details exactly what happened in her rise to fame and in her suffering from bipolar disorder. My favorite quote from the film is "I'm in Carnegie Hall finally, but I'm not playing Bach." Simone played a famous concert at Carnegie Hall, fulfilling a lifelong dream but not as a classical pianist. Though she did not become a professional classical musician, her technique and discipline showed in all the styles she played. She used her music for good, making music with a purpose to advance the civil rights agenda. This got her into a lot of trouble but it was fulfilling. It was her way of embracing freedom, or her definition of freedom: no fear. Her distinctive voice is found in songs and in archival interviews. This candid documentary unpacks a very complex figure in a rather nice way.
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