Synopsis

Ella Fitzgerald was a 15-year-old street kid when she won a talent contest in 1934 at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem. Within months, she became a star. This film follows her extraordinary journey over six decades, as her sublime voice transforms the tragedies of her own life and the struggles of her times into joy. Using never-before-seen images and unheard interviews, the film brings Ella Fitzgerald to life and tells the story of her music—a black woman who built her career in the face of horrifying racism.

Director

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  • Leslie Woodhead
  • A leading British documentary filmmaker, Leslie Woodhead has had a career spanning over 40 years. He started as an apprentice at Granada Television in Manchester in 1961. His film about American singer Dean Reed, Rockstar Comrade, is being adapted into a Hollywood movie by Tom Hanks, and he has also created music documentaries with Tony Bennett and Randy Newman.