I Am: Celine Dion

I am: Celine Dion is a glimpse into the life of mega star and super talented Canadian singer, Céline Dion. This documentary primarily focuses on her struggles with health issues that greatly impact her personal and professional life.

If you are looking for a comprehensive documentary that covers her entire life, you will be disappointed as this primary focuses on her battle and the impact of having Stiff Persons Syndrome. Her upbringing, road to stardom, relationships with friends and family, etc. Are only ever briefly glossed over.

However, it does a great job showing how illness can greatly limits oneself, not only physically but also how it can have even more devastating consequences on ones mental health, and in the case of Celine, whose identity is very much wrapped up in being a singer and performer, what that means when those things are taken away.

In a way this speaks to the aging process, how we cope when our bodies betray us and no longer able to do what they once were able to. It also speaks about self identity. When your self identity is wrapped around just one or two things (ie. A job, being a mother, being famous), what happens when those things change or are taken away. What is left?

It is truly heart wrenching seeing Céline Dion suffer through this disease (and the camera doesn't shy away showing her suffering and in pain) and while she is constantly surrounded by support staff, she seems so alone.

I praise Céline Dion for agreeing to showcase not only her highs but also her lows and when she is most vulnerable. She is regularly seen in a raw unglamourous light (no make-up, hair just pulled back, and wearing casual lounge outfits), talking about upsetting and emotional subjects, and even at one point showing unflinching footage of her suffering through an attack where she is at her most vulnerable and obviously in considerable pain in discomfort.

It's sad to see some of these negative reviews and some people's blatant jealousy and pettiness towards this woman's lifestyle. These reviewers don't realize that their reviews are more of a reflection of themselves than the thing they are reviewing. Celine lives in a mansion and has a very privileged life; you knew this going into the documentary. She's Celine Dion. Were you expecting her lifestyle to be relatable?

This is a raw documentary that focuses on her illness and her passion for music which is clearly displayed in this project. Would you be able to expose yourself the way she did: having a crippling seizure for the world to see, breaking down in tears because your career, your passion and very life is at risk of being destroyed? She worked hard for her wealth-30+ years. If she lived in a small townhouse and furnished her house with furniture from Target would that make you feel better? Sad, sad people.

I am not a Celine Dion's fan, but I must admit that she is a tremendous singer, and since so many decades now.... She was helped a long time ago by her husband, René Angeli, who discovered her and found contracts for her. But besides this, she made herself. She has always been very dedicated to her passion, singing. Her closest family is her fans. And seeing her in such a physical and psychological distress, is really painful for everyone, even the non fans as me. So, imagine the genuine, die hard fans.... To watch the pain of this poor Celine is a pure torture for anyone, unless being cold hearted. Seeing poor Celine trying to sing, with the "broken" voice and then crying in front of the camera was too much for me. I prefer a torture sequence in a fiction stuff. I sincerely hope she will make it against this awful disease.

No one would be surprised or resentful if a performer facing such drastic health issues chose to retreat entirely from public view. It is brave of Dion to reveal this struggle in such a raw and honest manner, and no doubt it will earn her sympathy from the fans she's so afraid to disappoint.

But it was clear to me that worse than this terrible disorder, what hurts her is her loss of identity as a performer. From such a young age, that's all she's known.

We saw a lot of physical therapy in this piece. However, I really wished we saw her in behavioral health therapy too. I think that is also as serious here--her loss of identity.

And as I realized that was the main issue, all I could see in this piece was another performance that she needed to deliver, and I felt uneasy about that. Her anxiety was giving me anxiety. She doesn't need to do this for her fans. It's ok, she can put her feet up, and write, design clothes or shoes or whatever, or paint, and everything else she missed out over the decades. I wish she could lower her perceptions of what she owes people--she doesn't. It's really ok to rest now. She deserves it.

I wish her some peace and ease, so very much.

I'm speechless how open she is. But I also can relate. Around 5 years ago I started lost my senses in my limbs and was diagnosed with a spine condition. As an ex-athlete it was - and still is difficult to accept that the best days are behind and the passion that kept me going is gone.

Nobody's immune to fate. She's and always will be a true Diva, with a wonderful voice and personality.

I enjoyed seeing backstage footages, she's just being at home, her open personality about her illness and life. And the fact that she is aging gracefully, no make up. Just her at home talking about her passion and struggles.

Celine, show or not - you are loved. It's hard not to feel "guilty" when we have a good day. But try to enjoy it without being hard on yourself.