This analysis of the documentary Amy (2015), directed by Asif Kapadia, aims to discuss and compare the construction of the image throughout a biographical document.
Asif Kapadia has dedicated himself to the biography of deceased personalities such as the famous Formula 1 pilot Ayrton Senna and the british singer Amy Winehouse. This study will point out data about how Amy was represented through the gaze of this director. The movie Senna (2010) is used as comparison for the conclusion of the analysis.
This essay focuses on a specific production: a biographical documentary about the deceased British artist, Amy Winehouse, whom Asif Kapadia represents in the documentary Amy (2015). For that, this study intends to discuss elements present in the building process of this biography and on how the director builds the artist’s image. Using analytical tools and theories of representation of the female gender in cinema, theory of signs, ethical repercussions, among other subjects, this thesis intends to deepen the discussion on how the director’s role in creating a biographical character.