What Happened, Miss Simone?

A documentary about the life and legend Nina Simone, an American singer, pianist, and civil rights activist labeled the "High Priestess of Soul." On stage Nina Simone was known for her utterly free, uninhibited musical expression, which enthralled audiences and attracted life-long fans. But amid the violent, haunting, and senseless day-to-day of the civil rights era in 1960s America, Simone struggled to reconcile her artistic identity and ambition with her devotion to a movement. Culled from hours of autobiographical tapes, this new film unveils the unmitigated ego of a brilliant artist and the absurdities of her time. At the height of her fame Simone walked away from her family, country, career and fans, to move to Liberia and give up performing. The story of her life leading up to that event poses the question, 'how does royalty stomp around in the mud and still walk with grace?' A riveting, intriguing and revealing look at the life, talent, struggles and brilliance of late pianist and singer-songwriter Nina Simone. From her early childhood as a classically trained pianist to her blazing career as a multitalented performer and her external battles with racism, domestic violence and political turmoil and internal battles with depression and bipolar disorder, this is a heavily insightful and rich docufilm that will revive the captivating, complex and intense life of the High Priestess of Soul herself. —Kyria Collins