It’s about a group of journalists that uncover an immense amount of corruption in the Romanian health system, but it’s like a thriller. Collective is incredible – we both put it in for Best Picture. Lindsay: “This has been an unbelievable year for documentaries – we’re both in the academy, so we’re part of the nominating committee. They had me when they were really young, so I was around, I was going to all these shows, but she didn’t talk to me about it that much and unfortunately they’ve both since passed, so it would take a lot of digging and a lot of research.” You’re both Oscar winners – what do you think about this year’s nominations? Maybe one day, it’ll take some time probably. Martin: “I’ve thought a lot about what that journey looks like through her lens. My mum’s story has been getting a lot of attention of late because she was a Black lead singer of a punk band right before grunge hit and I think she’s been kind of left out of grunge Seattle music history.” Would you ever make a film about her story? My mum was a singer, but dad was a guitar player. Martin: “They were in a punk band in Seattle in the ‘80s. CREDIT: Sky This is your first music film, but TJ has a musical heritage – both your parents were in a band… Turner is now firmly ensconced in her retirement phase. Tina worked for 60 years as a performer around the world – she wants to relax and enjoy her retirement.” When we did our interview she talked about not wanting to do these types of things again and I think we definitely got the impression that the interview we did with her is probably the last thing she’s going to do. Lindsay: “We’ve been asked that a lot! I almost feel like they need to put out a public statement! It’s Tina so, who knows, she can do whatever she wants. Does that mean this film is her last public appearance? Martin: “And home decorating!” In the film, Tina’s husband Erwin says the documentary is closure for Tina. We talked a lot about karma and the third eye.” That was pretty fundamental.” What was your first meeting with Tina like? We wanted to make sure it was the Tina Turner story, not the Tina and Ike Turner story. People in their thirties and forties have a basic understanding of the Tina Turner story, but the younger generation don’t really have a sense of who she is or who Ike Turner is. Martin: “I think there’s an assumption that everyone knows Tina’s story, but there’s definitely a generational divide. CREDIT: Sky How did you decide how much of the film to dedicate to Ike Turner and his violent abuse of Tina? Martin (second from right) pose with Tina Turner and husband Erwin Bach. That’s how it happened.’”ĭan Lindsay (left) and T.J. She really liked the film and said ‘You guys got it right. Simon, the producer, Zoomed with her afterwards and she was smiling. Normally we would have flown to Zurich and shown her the film, but we were able to get a theatre there and she went and saw it. Lindsay: “We finished editing during quarantine. That was what we latched on to.” What did Tina make of the film when she saw it? She’s still struggling with the effects of the trauma she’s suffered in her life.

We wanted to show that her a survivor is a process that goes on even into her retirement. We started to realise that Tina has become a symbol of strength and resilience for a lot of people, but it didn’t seem like anybody had ever really talked to her about how she feels about being that. What the hell are you gonna make a documentary about?’ Those were her literal first words.

‘There’s a movie, there’s a book, now there’s a musical. Lindsay: “The question you’re asking is basically the first thing that Tina said to us when we met her. What was left for your film to tell people about her? So much of Tina’s story is already out there. We spoke to the documentary duo about how they ended up working with an icon – and if this will be the last public appearance for the 81-year-old legend. Now they’re telling the story of the mighty Tina Turner with TINA. Martin kicked off a decade at the forefront of filmmaking with their 2011 Oscar winner Undefeated, about the struggles of a high school football team.

Tina turner 2021