According to co-director T.J. Martin, the upcoming HBO documentary will explore the traume of abuse that Tina has experienced during her 16 years of marriage to late partner Ike Turner.
- Mar 25, 2021
AceShowbiz - Tina Turner's HBO documentary "Tina" will dwelve into the music icon's life including her rise to fame as well as her abusive massiage to Ike Turner. According to co-director T.J. Martin, it will explore the traume of abuse that Tina has experienced.
The TV documentary will also give viewers insight into Ike's brutal control over her personal and professional life. "I was living a life of death," Tina says. She also admits to co-writer Kurt Loder for her autobiography, "It wasn't a good life. The good did not balance the bad."
"So much of her journey is a pursuit of her own identity and her own voice. There's an overarching theme of ownership in the entire film," co-director T.J. Martin tells USA TODAY. "It's embarrassing that she's not inducted as a solo artist. And after you know her story, it's even more weird."
He goes on to say of the singer, who is known for her signature sequins, voluminous hair and throaty growl, "Also, just in music terms, she's infinitely more successful as a solo artist than she and Ike ever were. So it's mind-boggling to not at least give her the recognition of what she achieved on her own."
As for co-director Dan Lindsay, Dan notes that there's value "in people coming forward with their truth, to not only shine a light on certain aspects of our society, but also to help other survivors." He adds, "But the other side of that, and the kind of paradox, is that by asking people who suffered this trauma to talk about it, you are inevitably retraumatizing them in some shape or form."
The directors also admits in an interview that they're worried that the flick will "re-traumatize" the singer. "We didn't realize how much of her trauma at this stage in her life is still bubbling right underneath the surface. Because that doesn't line up with the narrative of Tina Turner, and the notion of someone who had the strength and resilience to overcome her abuse. Instead, it is someone who is processing and choosing to survive every day. That discovery fundamentally shaped the direction of the film. For me, that's the standout thing," T.J. shares to Vanity Fair.
"During quarantine, they rented out a little screening room for her to watch the movie, and she changed the dates multiple times, which just made us even more nervous. But, eventually, she watched it, and it was reported back that she loved it. She enjoyed seeing the performances, and it was not as challenging to watch as she thought it might be. The note was that she said we’d gotten it right," he continues.
"Tina" will premiere on Saturday, March 27 on HBO and HBO Max at 8 P.M. EST/PST.
