After more than a year since Céline Dion's revelation of her Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS) diagnosis, fans worldwide will soon get an intimate look into the global superstar's health journey.
Amazon MGM Studios announced on Tuesday that they have acquired worldwide rights to "I Am: Celine Dion," a feature-length documentary directed by Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Irene Taylor.
The documentary, set to stream on Amazon Prime Video, promises to provide audiences with unprecedented access to Dion's private life, chronicling her past and present struggles with SPS. The release date of the documentary will be disclosed at a later time.
"This intimate exploration takes viewers on a journey inside Celine's past and present as she reveals her battle with Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS) and the lengths she has gone to continue performing for her beloved and loyal fans," stated a press release from Amazon MGM Studios.
Céline Dion, in a statement, expressed the challenges she faced over the past couple of years dealing with the symptoms of SPS. "The journey from discovering my condition to learning how to live with and manage it but not to let it define me has been such a challenge for me," she said. Dion added, "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."
The French-Canadian singer emphasized her decision to document this part of her life was aimed at raising awareness of this little-known condition and helping others who share the same diagnosis.
Dion, who performed 52 dates of her Courage World Tour in North America before the COVID-19 pandemic, had to postpone shows in March 2020. In January 2022, she canceled the remaining tour dates to recover from severe and persistent muscle spasms. Later that year, she revealed her SPS diagnosis through an emotional Instagram video.
By May 2023, Dion announced the cancellation of the rest of her scheduled tour dates for 2023-24. In a statement at the time, she expressed her regret to fans, stating, "It’s not fair to you to keep postponing the shows, and even though it breaks my heart, it's best that we cancel everything now until I’m really ready to be back on stage again."
Despite these challenges, Céline Dion has made a few public appearances in recent months. In November, she and her son, René-Charles Angélil, met with players from the Montreal Canadiens hockey team. In December, Dion's sister, Claudette Dion, shared in an interview that Céline doesn't have control over her muscles, expressing hope for her sister's return to the stage.
The upcoming documentary, "I Am: Celine Dion," is poised to offer an emotional and inspiring narrative of Dion's resilience and determination in the face of health challenges.
