Rationale for Study

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This critically and commercially successful documentary is a fascinating and disturbing exploration of Amy Winehouse as an artist. It reclaims her persona as a talented and vulnerable young woman affected by fame, the media, and addiction from the unkind caricature presented in the media. It also shows the underside of fame and celebrity culture. With Amy, Kapadia consolidates his signature style, established with Senna, of creating documentaries from existing material depicting the lives of celebrities considered to be outsiders. The truthful nature of the documentary was called into question by Amy’s father, Mitch Winehouse, who objected to the way that he was represented. This controversy draws attention to the constructed nature of documentaries, despite the use of authentic rather than reconstructed footage.