Patti Smith - Dream Of Life

Steven Sebring first met Patti Smith when he photographed her for a Spin shoot in 1995. He spent the next eleven years filming her, and Patti Smith Dream of Life is the result – a plunge into the philosophy and artistry of the legendary singer and cult rocker.

Known as the godmother of punk, Patti Smith emerged in the 1970’s, galvanizing the music scene with her unique style of poetic rage, music and trademark swagger. A poet whose energy and vision found its voice through music, Smith was ambitious, unconventional, and challenging, and her music was hailed as the most exciting fusion of rock and poetry since Bob Dylan’s heyday. Says Sebring: ‘She’s a rock star, a poet, an artist, a mother, an activist. She’s a folk hero. She’s been through a lot of tragedy and yet she has come through it. I can’t think of anyone who’s like her’

Unabashedly intellectual and creatively uncompromising, Smith became an icon to subsequent generations of female rockers, never relying on sex appeal for her success. Her career has been marked by extraordinary achievement, incendiary creative collaborations, and shocking tragedies.

Sebring’s documentary follows the multitalented and private artist over 11 years of international travel, through her spoken words, performances, lyrics, interviews, paintings and photographs. Patti Smith Dream of Life reveals a complicated, charismatic personality. Patti Smith, who narrates the film, wrestles with life’s many paradoxes. She defines the human experience as an overwhelming contradiction. She pulls the strings of her guitar and simply makes music.

Patti Smith Dream of Life is an intimate, surprising perspective on a quite unique artist.