Celine Dion Offers a Portrait of Resilience in New Documentary

 Canadian singer Celine Dion attends the New York special screening of the documentary film "I Am: Celine Dion" at Alice Tully Hall in New York City on June 17, 2024. (AFP)
Canadian singer Celine Dion attends the New York special screening of the documentary film "I Am: Celine Dion" at Alice Tully Hall in New York City on June 17, 2024. (AFP)
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Celine Dion Offers a Portrait of Resilience in New Documentary

 Canadian singer Celine Dion attends the New York special screening of the documentary film "I Am: Celine Dion" at Alice Tully Hall in New York City on June 17, 2024. (AFP)
Canadian singer Celine Dion attends the New York special screening of the documentary film "I Am: Celine Dion" at Alice Tully Hall in New York City on June 17, 2024. (AFP)

Music legend Celine Dion vowed Monday her "passion as a performer will never disappear," despite health struggles she says are still just a small part of her monumental story.

"I'm not dead," the singer told AFP on the red carpet ahead of the premiere of the new documentary "I Am: Celine Dion" that focuses on her soaring career and more recent struggles with a rare neurological disorder that has hampered her ability to perform.

"When life imposes something on you, you have two options. You deal with it or you don't want to deal with it," Dion said, calling her decision to speak out about her condition in the documentary both "the greatest gift and the greatest responsibility."

"It's not going to go away," she said of the disorder. "I'm going to have to deal with this. And I am."

The 56-year-old first disclosed in December 2022 that she had been diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome, a progressive autoimmune disorder with no cure.

Treatment can help alleviate symptoms of the condition that can cause stiff muscles in the torso, arms and legs as well as trigger severe spasms.

"The show will still go on," she promised, but said it was important to be honest about the struggle.

Irene Taylor, the Academy Award-nominated director behind the film, told AFP that Dion's one ask was to be able to tell her own story, in her own words.

"Would that be possible? Instead of other people talking about me?" she recalls the superstar requesting.

"That was like music to my ears as a storyteller," Taylor said.

"She just opened up and was very authentic ... in her joy and also in her suffering."

The documentary will begin streaming globally on June 25 on Prime Video.

Dion was forced to cancel a string of shows scheduled for 2023 and 2024, saying she was not strong enough to tour.

She made a surprise appearance earlier this year at the Grammy Awards, presenting the Album of the Year award to Taylor Swift.

Dion has sold more than 250 million albums during her decades-long career.

The Quebec-born star's "Courage World Tour" began in 2019, and Dion had completed 52 shows before the Covid-19 pandemic put the remainder on hold.



Saudi Film Commission Participates in 78th Cannes Film Festival

Saudi Film Commission Participates in 78th Cannes Film Festival
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Saudi Film Commission Participates in 78th Cannes Film Festival

Saudi Film Commission Participates in 78th Cannes Film Festival

The Saudi Film Commission is participating in the 78th Cannes Film Festival in France from May 13 to 24 with a Saudi pavilion and an official delegation alongside key partners, including the Ministry of Investment, Film AlUla, NEOM, the Cultural Development Fund, MBC Studios, the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (Ithra), and the Red Sea International Film Festival.

Established in 1946, the Cannes Film Festival is one of the world’s most prestigious cinematic events, attracting broad international participation from filmmakers each year.

The Saudi pavilion will feature a booth for private production and distribution companies to boost their international presence and highlight opportunities for collaboration and investment.

The commission will engage in several panel discussions and dialogue sessions featuring leading decision-makers and influencers in the film industry. They will include a session titled "Pioneering Paths: How Filmmakers Can Forge Their Own Futures" and "Saudi Films – Work in Progress," which will showcase films currently in production.

A roundtable titled "The Business of Film Production" will also discuss the economic aspects of the film industry.

A networking session titled "Meet Saudi Creatives" and a brunch event titled "Cinematic Exchange" will bring together commission representatives and the private sector to highlight major accomplishments in the local film sector and explore opportunities for collaboration.

This strategic participation is part of the Saudi Film Commission’s ongoing efforts to develop the local film sector, empower Saudi talent, and build an effective network of relationships that support the Saudi film movement and represent it on major global platforms.