Celine Dion Documentary to Chronicle Artist’s Life with Stiff Person Syndrome

Rare Daily Staff

Amazon MGM Studios said that it has acquired worldwide rights to the feature-length Celine Dion documentary, I Am: Celine Dion, which explores the pop star’s battle with the rare condition stiff person syndrome.

In 2021, Dion faced the difficult decision of canceling her highly anticipated Las Vegas residency due to health concerns. Then, in December 2022, the singer revealed her ongoing battle with stiff person syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that causes progressive muscle stiffness and spasms.

The documentary I Am: Celine Dion, directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Irene Taylor, is described as “a snapshot of a pivotal time in the life and career” of one of the most recognized, respected, and successful performers in pop music history, Celine Dion. It takes viewers on a journey inside her past and present as she reveals her battle with stiff person syndrome and the lengths she has gone to continue performing.

“Celine Dion is a global megastar with a career defined not only by her extraordinary work ethic and passion, but by her dedication to her fans,” said Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon MGM Studios. “This documentary is a raw, intimate portrayal of a pivotal time in her personal life and career, pulling back the curtain on her journey as she overcomes an unthinkable diagnosis.”

Dion has sold more than 250 million albums during her 40-year career. She won five Grammy Awards, two Academy Awards, the 2016 Billboard Music Award lifetime achievement Icon Award, and recognition from the 2004 World Music Awards as the best-selling female artist of all time.

Rare diseases don’t discriminate on the basis of fame. There are many famous people who have been stricken with a variety of conditions who have been either unwilling or unable to use their platforms to call attention to their condition or the plight of people with rare diseases more broadly. Given Dion’s visibility, though, the film provides an unusual opportunity to raise awareness about a rare disease and what people living with rare conditions face more broadly.

“This last couple of years has been such a challenge for me, the journey from discovering my condition to learning how to live with and manage it, but not to let it define me,” said Celine Dion. “As the road to resuming my performing career continues, I have realized how much I have missed it, of being able to see my fans.  During this absence, I decided I wanted to document this part of my life, to try to raise awareness of this little-known condition, to help others who share this diagnosis.”

Photo: Singer Celine Dion