Asif Kapadia’s Amy Winehouse documentary arrives in cinemas this weekend, but it might not be the only film about the late star on the way.
The Grammy-winning singer’s father, Mitch Winehouse, and her former fiance, Reg Traviss, are reportedly planning their own documentary to address issues raised in Kapadia’s film Amy. According to the Mirror, a source said: “Mitch and Reg are talking about doing something to correct all the wrongs and omissions in the new film. Their own take on Amy’s life is being discussed.”
Kapadia’s film has already caused controversy with its portrayal of the singer’s father. One of the major bones of contention is related to the hit song Rehab and the lyric concerning her father’s assertion that she shouldn’t go to seek help for her addictions. Mitch Winehouse expressed his unhappiness in an interview with the Guardian. “I told them that they were a disgrace,” he said, recalling a confrontation with the film-makers. “I said: ‘You should be ashamed of yourselves. You had the opportunity to make a wonderful film and you’ve made this.’”
The family, who were initially involved in the film, have since called it “misleading”. Traviss, a film director who was engaged to Winehouse, is not featured in Kapadia’s documentary.
Last month, Kapadia spoke to the Guardian about the effect the singer’s fame had on those around her. “It brought out the worst of a lot of people in her life. If one looks carefully, there are lots of people who make lots of decisions or who were aware of one thing – whether it was the drinking, the bulimia, or the drugs – and nobody stopped it. That’s what the film is really about.”
