To truly get a genuine portrait of someone iconic, it takes time…
Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami is an unflinching portrait of an iconic pop culture icon as we see her strut in all aspects of her very private life.
It’s hard not to know who Grace Jones is inside the societal ethos, but really who is Grace Jones? Director Sophie Fiennes dedicated herself to the exploration of that question of the course of a decade, flipping between intimate fly on the wall moments in her most private of moments and while basking in the glitz and glamour of her performing on stage. Both women are undoubtedly different, they make up the entire package that is the one and only statuesque singer/model/icon who is like no other; Miss Grace Jones.
In playing with the format and not giving audiences your standard brick and mortar bio pic, Sophie Fiennes has truly given this picture the kind of winds that you wouldn’t necessarily expect. In the quieter moments while simply interacting with family members and friends we see Grace as a subject who is fiercely protective her image but not in the way that you’d expect. She’s OK with the truth and letting it all fly out because she just wouldn’t have it any other way.
Only an icon knows that she occasionally has to be a bitch, but she does it rather honestly. That’s why Bloodlight and Bami works so well; both on stage an off she’s a fiercely honest artist.
David Voigt is a Toronto based writer with a problem and a passion for the moving image and all things cinema. Having moved from production to the critical side of the aisle for well over 15 years now at outlets like Examiner.com, Criticize This, Dork Shelf (Now That Shelf), and to.Night Newspaper.
He’s been all across the continent; serving on the FIPRESCI Jury at the Festival Du Nouveau Cinema in Montreal, covering festivals out side of Toronto like Calgary Underground Film Festival, CUFF Docs, Slamdance, Fantasia, SXSW, DOC NYC, Santa Barbara Film Festival, New York Asian Film Festival and many others
However, In the uncertain world of modern film journalism, David also knew that he needed to have a hand in writing and cementing his own contributions on the global film scene.
Having eclipsed the 10 year anniversary of his own outlet, In The Seats, where he’s been striving to support film (and TV) from all walks of life and his podcast “In The Seats With…” where after 5 & ½ years and over 750 episodes he’s talked with a wide variety of filmmakers, actors, behind the scenes artisans and so much more on the art of storytelling for the screen, which is spawning the launch of a new show in the Spring of 2026. “ITS: Soundtracks” will focus on the use of soundtrack and score in film which he believes is a combination that is the cinematic equivalent of Peanut Butter and Chocolate.
All this as well as hosting and moderating a variety of big screen events around the city, covering film in all its forms is just a way of life for him.
