eOne has kicked off global sales (excluding the U.K.) for the BBC Two feature doc “Joni Mitchell: 50 Years of Blue,” Deadline reports. A look at Mitchell’s creative process for what is arguably her most beloved album, and its decades-long legacy, the film hails from director Teresa Griffiths and producer Lonesome Pine Productions.
Released in 1971, “Blue” features classics such as “A Case of You,” “California,” and “River.” The record has made dozens of Best Of music lists and was selected for the Grammy Hall of Fame.
“50 Years of Blue” traces Mitchell’s “life and career up to the point in 1970 when she began writing and recording what was to become ‘Blue,’ and the life she has lived in the 50 years since. The documentary explains the background to the recording of her seminal fourth album through archive footage, interview material with Mitchell herself, and collaborators Stephen Stills, Graham Nash, Russ Kunkel, and James Taylor,” per the source.
“This immersive documentary is sure to move audiences who fell in love with this iconic artist and those who are discovering Joni Mitchell’s work afresh today,” said Noel Hedges, EVP, Acquisitions, International Distribution, eOne. “We’re delighted to offer this compelling documentary to our clients as part of our ongoing commitment to deliver inspiring content that resonates with viewers of all ages.”
Mitchell has received nine Grammys, including a Lifetime Achievement honor. The “Both Sides, Now” and “Big Yellow Taxi” artist became the first woman to win the Les Paul Award last year, and she will be among the 2021 Kennedy Center honorees. She was also the subject of the 2018 doc “Both Sides Now: Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970.”
Griffiths’ previous docs include “Lee Miller: A Life on the Front Line” and “Sylvia Plath: Inside the Bell Jar.” She won a BAFTA TV Craft award for directing the former. A feature-length adaptation of the stage show “Zoe” is among Griffiths’ other credits.