After opening the book on her private life in her expansive, bestselling 2023 memoir My Name Is Barbra, Barbra Streisand will dive even deeper into her private life in an upcoming multipart documentary. Sony Music Vision, Columbia Records, Jigsaw Productions and the Kennedy/Marshall Company announced on Thursday (Sept. 26) that production has already begun on a definitive biopic about the EGOT winner.
“For years I’ve been thinking about the best way to share the vast amount of content I’ve been safely storing in my vault. These films, photos and music masters — many never seen or heard by the public — hold some of my most cherished memories,” said Streisand in a statement about granting the production unprecedented access to her personal archives, including hundreds of hours of never-before-seen video, photos and audio recordings, as well as personal items from throughout her career.
“I’m so pleased that producer Alex Gibney and director Frank Marshall have agreed to take this journey with me,” she added of director Marshall (Jazz Fest: A New Orleans Story) and Oscar-winning producer Gibney (Taxi to the Dark Side). “My appreciation to Tom Mackay, head of Sony Music’s Premium Content team, for his belief in the project. And especially to Sony Music Chairman Rob Stringer who has unwaveringly supported so many of my creative endeavors.”
According to the release announcing the project, the series will “offer an intimate and comprehensive exploration of every facet of the iconic multi-hyphenate, who, in a career-spanning six decades, has excelled in every area of entertainment.” The release promises that the access to Streisand’s personal archives alongside contemporary verité will provide an “in-depth look at Streisand’s star-studded past and her current artistic endeavors.”
A title and release date for the doc have not yet been announced.
“I’m thrilled to be working with Alex again and to have the opportunity to bring Barbra’s incredible life story to the screen,” said Marshall in a statement. “We have been given unprecedented access to archival footage from decades of her groundbreaking career and intimate visibility to the trailblazing she continues to do in life today. Uncovering these remarkable moments illustrate why she has become an enduring icon to a global audience of all generations.”
Producer Gibney added, “People have been talking about the need for the definitive documentary on Barbra Streisand for years. After a series of wonderful conversations and rigorous research, we are moving forward with Frank Marshall at the helm. I am delighted to produce this film on Barbra, a legendary singer, extraordinary actor, director, and political activist who inspires us all. Did I forget to mention that she’s a great storyteller who is funny as hell?”
