FILM
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AMY Stunning documentary told through archive-only footage and audio interviews
Asif Kapadia rightly won a lot of admirers for Formula One documentary Senna. Even that film pales next to his latest real-life study, an emotive look at the late singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse, who died of alcohol poisoning in 2011, aged just 27. The way the tabloids presented it, she cut an increasingly tragic figure as she seemingly frittered away her talent by succumbing to her addictions. Kapadia doesn’t shy away from her fall,
employing some shocking stills, but he digs beneath the scandals. As in Senna, he marries audio interviews and archive footage to paint an intimate picture of the Jewish girl from North London, who loved singers like Tony Bennett, took to writing her own
material and became a superstar. And it’s in the context of clips showing her lighter side that the gravity of her loss really hits home. From eerie aerial shots of Winehouse’s
beloved Camden Town to the way her lyrics appear on screen, Kapadia’s artistic decisions chime, while his use of her songs is never less than haunting. Punchy, provocative and just plain sad, whether you’re a fan of Winehouse’s music or not, Amy is a film you’ll be thinking about for days after. (James Mottram) ■ Filmhouse, Edinburgh, Thu 18, Sat 20 Jun, part of Edinburgh International Film Festival. See feature, page 20. Selected release from Fri 3 Jul. ●●●●●
4 Jun–3 Sep 2015 THE LIST 69