Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami

Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami is a captivating 2017 film, directed by Sophie Fiennes, which explores the life and career of the iconic Grace Jones. The title of the movie derives from the names used in Jamaican studios: Bloodlight for the red light when an artist is recording and Bami meaning bread, the substance of daily life. Bringing together these two aspects, the movie artistically showcases the multi-dimensionality of Grace Jones, her artistry, her life, and her heritage.

The film amalgamates electrifying concert performances and deeply personal moments to take the audience on a journey through the public and private realms of Grace Jones. The cinematic and musical form of the film exhibits the powerful on-stage and on-screen persona of Jones and her evolution as a monumental figure in the world of music, fashion, and art.

Fiennes invites the viewers to delve into the world of Grace Jones from an intimate, unconventional perspective, disrupting the typical structure of a music-documentary. The director forgoes the traditional 'talking heads' narrative and relies solely on original footage to narrate the story. This stream of consciousness style of storytelling allows the viewers to experience first-hand the whirlwind life that Jones has led, from her birth in Jamaica, through her early years as a model, to her successful, genre-defying music career.

The film diverges dramatically in tone, shifting from moments of vibrant exuberance in the backdrop of her spellbinding performances, to moments of profound vulnerability showcased in private interactions. Delicate family conversations in Jamaica inform her life-long struggle with issues of identity and belonging while bold interviews and gobsmacking performances show the fiercely independent and unapologetically bold woman she has become.

The film dedicates a substantial amount of screen time to Jones’ musical collaborators, including the legendary Jamaican rhythm section of Sly and Robbie. Lowell 'Sly' Dunbar, plays a significant role in the movie, serving as the drummer and providing glimpses into their collaborative efforts, their camaraderie, and the creative process behind Grace's unique sound. We also see glimpses of Jean-Paul Goude, the French illustrator, art director, and photographer whose romantic and professional partnership with Jones in the 1970s and 1980s created some of the most unforgettable imagery in pop culture.

Through these insightful interactions, the audience gets a comprehensive understanding of Jones' artistic journey and the influences that shaped her aesthetic, persona and sound. Her path is rarely linear but instead, a weave of meandering narratives, intertwining her past and present, personal and professional life.

One of the exciting aspects of the film is the interesting dichotomy presented by Jones. She is at once a fearsome, larger-than-life figure on stage and a raw, sensitive person off of it. The film beautifully captures this polarity, portraying Jones both as a relentless performer and a deeply feeling individual. This is a tribute to Fiennes’ approach which paints Jones as a fully rounded individual, instead of simply focusing on her celebrity status.

The cinematography is aesthetically appealing, presenting varying shades of Jones' vibrant life and career. Through the lens of the camera, viewers traverse with Jones from Jamaican streets to bustling metropolises, from recording studios to vast concert stages, experiencing a palpable sense of her invincible spirit and indomitable will.

The film offers several enthralling scenes of Jones's powerful live shows. But it also takes us to quieter, more isolated places. We get to see Jones in professional meetings, during photoshoots, or backstage immediate before and after performances. All these scenes offer revealing snippets of the industriousness and tenacity that drives her success.

The film also gives us intimate moments with Jones, where she opens up her childhood, her family history and her struggles. Therefore, while being a musical document, the film is also very much a character study of Jones, as seen through the relationships and experiences that have shaped her.

Ultimately, Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami, is an immersive cinematic journey that provides an awe-inspiring exploration into the life of this extraordinary artist. It maneuvers through her life and career with all its strength, vulnerability, and intensity, providing an epic and intimate primer to the remarkable Grace Jones. This film is a must-watch for fans, for music lovers, and for anyone fascinated by the relentless human spirit.