A compelling new documentary, screening July 29 at the Woods Hole Film Festival in Woods Hole, MA, examines the life and career of singer, songwriter, and producer Linda Perry. We viewed an advance screener of Linda Perry: Let it Die Here and found it to be an often-disturbing look at a fearless artist in search of inner peace, who responds to frequent life crises by throwing herself into her work.
Perry is perhaps best known for her stint in 4 Non Blondes where she sang on their 1994 hit “What’s Up?” In recent years, she’s become a songwriter for the stars, penning Christina Aguilera’s “Beautiful” as well as “What You Waiting For?” by Gwen Stefani and “Get the Party Started” by Pink. She’s also written and produced music for Celine Dion, Miley Cirus, and Pitbull, among others. Notably, she was instrumental, along with Brandi Carlile in bringing Dolly Parton to the 2019 Newport Folk Festival. (A video clip of Parton at Newport is shown in the film.)
Linda Perry: Let it Die Here has received praise from Rolling Stone, Variety, and Billboard following its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival last month. It features appearances by many of Perry’s close friends and collaborators, including Aguilera, Dolly Parton, Kate Hudson, her ex-wife Sara Gilbert, and Brandi Carlile.
They offer an honest assessment of their friend and colleague. As Aguilera notes “She’s less about sleek and polished, more about raw and real.” Indeed, Perry can be intimidating, “she scares a lot of fucking grown men,” says Aguilera in the film.
A leader in the recording industry, Perry was one of the first female music producers to work with A-list clients. She remains a “go-to” producer and is seen in a recording session with Kate Hudson, where she works her magic. “My job is to make sure that it’s as real and emotional as possible, and that she is staying true to her journey,” explains Perry.
The film blends cinéma vérité footage of Perry working in her studio with stop-motion animation to depict scenes of her most painful memories. Her fractious relationship with her mother is explored, including memories of physical and emotional abuse as a child. Indeed, it’s not always an easy film to watch.
This one ranks high in the never-ending sequence of rock docs – like the singer, it’s edgy and unsettling at times. But it’s a completely honest look at an artist, driven internally to express herself, unafraid to show her scars (literally), and all! It’s satisfying even though it barely reaches resolution – you sense there is another chapter or two of this story still to come.
The film will be screened at Redfield Auditorium. Click here for details.
Click here for more on the Woods Hole Film Festival.
