I Am: Celine Dion (2024) Review: The personal strength of Canada’s nightingale

‘I Am: Celine Dion’ is a documentary film directed by Academy Award nominee Irene Taylor centring around the Canadian singer Celine Dion. The film details Dion’s life, career accomplishments and battle with stiff-person syndrome. In Francophone countries, the film is titled: ‘Je suis: Céline Dion’. Unlike most biopics, this is not one where other people are talking about the star. Here, as per Céline’s request, the star herself tells the story her way.

One impactful statement that was an eye-catcher to me was: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

This documentary does not shed light on her incredible career. It is assumed that a person who walks in to watch this is well aware of Céline’s extensive repertoire. This story is not about the girl from Quebec who has 13 siblings, her soul-mate-like love with her late husband or how she coped with the passing of her brother and spouse in a matter of days. Her marriage to manager René Angélil, for example, is only featured fleetingly, mostly in home video snippets and quick montages of the couple welcoming their sons. There’s a momentary look at Celine and the couple’s children at René’s funeral, followed by her breaking down in tears as she performs All by Myself to thousands of adoring fans.

This story is about a strong Canadian woman who fought her health battle against all odds with this determination in my mind- ” “I’m going to go back onstage, even if I have to crawl. Even if I have to talk with my hands, I will.”

Céline is the real deal—that rarest of all worldwide stars. Her life is not a show for her fans. She is refreshing in a world of celebrities who would say anything to maintain their brand; she tells it as it is.

Céline initially revealed in December 2022 that she had received an autoimmune diagnosis of stiff person syndrome. Treatment can help reduce symptoms, but there is no known cure for this degenerative disorder. The US National Institutes of Health report that twice as many women as men are afflicted by the illness. “It’s like somebody is strangling you” she reflected, adding that the anguish sometimes shoots through her body and has cracked ribs on occasion.

She further disclosed that, despite being unwell, she was trying to continue performing by taking risky doses of Valium. Dion remarked, “To be honest, I had no idea that it could kill me.” “I used to take 20 milligrams of Valium before a show, and by the time I got from my dressing room to backstage, it was already gone.”

The film takes you on a journey through various emotions, including humour that makes you laugh (even in the first scene!), happiness, and a climactic, heartbreaking scene that leaves everyone in the theatre in tears.

Honestly, I did not know what I was walking into. I thought it would be a typical biopic- all about the life and times of her music career. But no, that’s not it at all. The timeline is around 2018-present, depicting only her health battles and struggles to overcome them. I think whether you are a fan of Céline or not, you would most likely be moved by this journey of healing.