Amy (2015)

Singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse was just 27 when she died from alcohol poisoning.  She only released two albums, but her name and songs are a part of pop culture.

Winehouse started writing songs at the age of 14 and was signed to her first contract at 16.  Her first album was released in 2003 and was a success in Britain.  As her star began to rise, so did her problems with drugs and alcohol.


Amy Winehouse has had an undeniable mark on music.  Despite her popularity following the release of her second album and all of the media attention, she still remained a mystery.  Director Asif Kapadia, best known for the award-winning documentary Senna, was approached to make a documentary about her life.  With the full cooperation from her family and friends, Kapadia and his team conducted over 100 interviews about Winehouse.  They were given hours of videos of Winehouse since childhood, in addition to all of the hours of media footage and paparazzi photos.

The film focuses on her music career and substance abuse, specifically from 2001 to 2011.  The interviews with Amy's family, closest friends and co-workers play over images and videos of her.  Many of the videos are unseen performances or recordings.  They also show the lyrics to her songs on screen to show the progression of her songwriting ability.

She is a charismatic performer and well-loved, and that shines through the documentary, along with her musical ability.  But it is also a sad story, with a tragic outcome... but the filmmakers choose to end on a happier note.  This documentary is nominated for Best Documentary for the 2016 Academy Awards.

Amy (2015) 128 minutes
Rating: R for language and drug material
Director: Asif Kapadia
Starring: Amy Winehouse (archive footage)
Mitch Winehouse
Janis Winehouse
Ray Cosbert
Nick Shymanksy
Blake Fielder-Civil
Yasiin Bey (Mos Def)
Tyler James
Juliette Ashby
Lauren Gilbert
Salaam Remi