➤ LINDA RONSTADT, from p.26
typical self-effacing quality. Her
assistant encouraged us and eventually
she agreed. She liked “The
Times of Harvey Milk,” so had that
trust in us.
KRAMER: Can you talk about
how you constructed the narrative
and used photographs, performance
clips, and interviews to tell
her story?
EPSTEIN: The idea was about
her musical journey because that
was most interesting to us. It was
so rich because she covers so much
ground. That was the narrative
and emotional thrust of the fi lm —
it was a process of discovering for
her. That’s the journey we want to
take the audience on — from rock
to country to musical theater and
Mexican music.
KRAMER: What observations
do you have about her career and
her music?
FRIEDMAN: I think she’s an
artist who was never satisfi ed doing
the same things even though it
could have been very lucrative for
GREENWICH ENTERTAINMENT
For decades until Parkinson’s Disease took away
her voice, Linda Ronstadt was a tireless innovator
in many different musical genres.
her to do that. She had an artistic
restlessness to try new things.
It was about the music, not her
career. I take her at her word that
she was as happy — probably more
happy — singing at home with a
group of friends instead of in front
of huge crowds.
KRAMER: Ronstadt was a female
singer in the male-dominated
music industry. What are your
thoughts about how she was able
to maintain control of her life and
career?
FRIEDMAN: There were all
kinds of sex, drugs, and rock and
roll stories swirling around, but
Linda didn’t go there. She was just
in it for the music. She was very
grounded and centered and knew
who she was. She never lost her
way.
KRAMER: The fi lm is wistful
because of her Parkinson’s, but
mostly it’s very affectionate. What
do you want fans old and new to
learn about Linda from your fi lm?
FRIEDMAN: I hope people will
be inspired by her focus on her art
as opposed to her celebrity, which
didn’t interest her at all. Our culture
is so obsessed with celebrity
and people “liking” you. It feels
empty without some real content
and artistic adventure behind it. I
hope people will see the artist looking
for new ways to inspire herself
and putting herself out there to
share her art in a way that has
nothing to do with what we think
of pop stardom and celebrity.
EPSTEIN: So many younger
people don’t know anything about
her, so to intro her to a younger audience
who can grow to appreciate
her and that she was one of the biggest
stars of the last 50 years. So
much of her story remains largely
unknown — they know the hits but
not the totality of her career. That
will be the biggest takeaway for the
audience. And her adventurous
spirit. To me that’s so inspiring—
that someone got through this
rich, full, professional life and then
losing that sense of adventure.
LINDA RONSTADT: THE SOUND
OF MY VOICE | Directed by Rob
Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman |
Greenwich Entertainment / 1091
Media / CNN Films | Opens Sept.
6 | Film Forum, 209 W. Houston
St.; fi lmforum.org | Landmark at 57
West, 657 W. 57th St.; landmarktheatres.
com
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS AS A PATIENT!
"
Call for a free consult at (516) 684-2900 or (718) 567-7171
www.pegalislawgroup.com
GayCityNews.com | August 29 - September 11, 2019 27
/www.pegalislawgroup.com
/lmforum.org
/www.pegalislawgroup.com
/GayCityNews.com
