Peter Doherty: Stanger In My Own Skin, a documentary on the life of English rock star Peter Doherty, and his struggle with addiction to hard drugs is all set to release in cinemas from 9th November 2023.
Directed by filmmaker, cinematographer, editor and musician Katia deVidas, who is also Doherty’s partner, unlike a film by a fan or a punk rock expert, the documentary is as much about the creative process as it is about addiction and how our society deals with it.
The film was filmed over a period of 10 years, with more than 200 hours of exlusive footage during that time. Now, this raw and intimate material is the source for the 90-minute film documenting the Libertines singer-lyricist’s descent into hell just as his popularity was peaking. Through the artist’s own words and emotions, we experience Doherty’s courageous, and often poetic fight to overcome his demons.
Commenting on the genesis of the project, deVidas said, “The more we saw each other, the greater I felt the need to film the reasons that led Peter to throw himself into his self-destructive lifestyle, as well as his creative process. I quickly saw the possibility of digging deeper into certain issues and including on-the-spot reactions based on the events and problems encountered alongside him in the interviews. Peter’s world is playful and complex, offbeat and generous. He opens up to me about himself and his current and future projects. I want to follow him, and he agrees.
My main goal is to shed light on the the composer’s thinking through free-flowing, instinctive conversations. They can only take place in the present moment and respond to real-time situations, whether a backstage scene, the composition of a track, band rehearsals or the periods of drug use that gradually cut him off from contact with reality.”
To capture both the human and media sides of Peter Doherty, the film mixes two intertwining tones. On the one hand, a silent, unobtrusive camera observes a wild, free-spirited, deeply intelligent, highly cultivated individual without intervening, bearing witness to a world other people dream of lived in by a fragile, moving man whose creative mind is always working (his guitar never leaves his side). On the other, an active camera merges with the person filmed, relentlessly seeking out and
questioning the musician and songwriter. The conversations are conducted simply and directly with the aim of revealing his intentions and deep-seated motivations and getting to know the man beneath the media personality.
Peter Doherty: Stranger In My Own Skin is produced by FEDERATION STUDIOS and WENDY PRODUCTIONS. The film is distributed worldwide in cinemas by PATHÉ LIVE.
You’ll be able to “Run, Run, Run” to the catch the documentary when it releases in cinemas from 9th November 2023 and, in the meanwhile, we’ll leave you with the official trailer for the film.
