Featured image courtesy of the Savannah Film Festival website
The documentary “What happened, Miss Simone?” — directed by Liz Garbus — goes behind the music and all the glitz and glamor to touch on the darker times in Nina Simone’s life.Giving an honest depiction of the triumphs and trials of the African-American icon, musician and activist the film explores her fall from fame and her history of abuse as well as her struggle with bipolar disorder.
We witness the transition of Nina Simone; going from playing for fame and wanting to make it to Carnegie Hall as a classic pianist to performing political music for the civil rights movement and trying to make a change.
The film — although mainly composed of archival footage — remains relevant to modern day events. One scene in particular that really strikes a chord is when Simone sang the song she wrote about the death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “Why? (The King of Love is Dead)” plays just as footage of mourners walking the streets and protestors carrying signs come onto the screen, reminiscent of the country today and how relevant the footage of protestors encountering police brutality is with racism still being an issue in the United States.
Audience members are given accounts of the same situation or event from multiple perspectives. We got to hear the perspective of her ex-husband (Andy Stroud), her daughter (Lisa Simone), her friends, her bandmates and even her own taken from her diary entries and interviews. It is refreshing to hear how different people in her life perceived her and to see who was there for her, supported her and truly cared for her. This is rare in a modern documentary for someone of this nature to be depicted so honestly, especially without a heavy reliance on tabloid headlines and overdramatized accounts.
Also rare is that the film lacks bias, which is notable for movies that depict someone in the spotlight — one that is known to have had so many struggles. Garbus avoided a one-sided view of the singer by not emphasizing the good or the bad — she depicted the truth. Simone’s struggle to find purpose, to be happy and free, was carried throughout the film.
Her diary entries and interviews reveal her battle with bipolar disorder, her contemplation of suicide, the domestic abuse she received from Stroud and her constant self-loathing. You would think that delving into the darker parts of her life would make you uncomfortable or come out viewing her differently, but if anything it made me more understanding and love her more. It told me that she was human, that she too felt pain, and sorrow and doubt.
You can’t help but sympathize with Simone from all the rejection and the self-doubt in her search for personal meaning. There were times where I wished I could tell her just how remarkable she was and that she was not alone in this feeling.
There were moments in the film — especially during her time of being at the forefront of the civil rights movement and her time in Liberia — where she finds herself and finally feels like her life had meaning, like she was at home. I felt it too. I was happy to see her happy and finally free. Her failures, were your failures and her triumphs felt like your victories. It was like I was right there with her, going through all of it with her.
The countless clips of Simone playing live shows are astounding. The emotion and intensity of her performances are tangible, her voice raw and unforgiving. I was swept up in her stage presence and the magic of her musical talent. In those moments it was hard to believe that such a talented and creative woman ever doubted herself.
Garbus did a wonderful job of piecing together different moments of the singers life, giving an authentic look into the singer’s life. I found myself caught up in the retelling of her life story, completely entranced. Devoted fans will enjoy basking in the singers presence once more and newcomers will fall in love with not just the music, but the person behind it. If you are looking for an honest and in-depth account of the singer’s life, then “What happened, Miss Simone?” is for you.
The documentary is now available to stream on Netflix.
Written by Asli Shebe.
Asli Shebe is a senior writing major from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. She began working for District in 2014 as a staff writer, then copy editor, A&E editor, Chief Assignment editor and finally, Editor-in-Chief in 2017. Asli currently holds the record for obtaining the most job titles during her time at District. When she’s not writing for District you can find her biking around the Historic District of Savannah at odd hours of the day.
