Ella Fitzgerald was a 15 year old street kid when she won a talent contest in 1934 at the Apollo theatre in Harlem. Within months she was a star. Ella: Just One Of Those Things follows her extraordinary journey over six decades as her sublime voice transforms the tragedies of her own life and the troubles of her times into joy.
The film uses never-before-seen images and unheard interviews to bring Ella Fitzgerald to life and to tell the story of her music – a black woman who forged her career in the face of vile racism.
Here is an Ella the world never knew – tough, thoughtful, funny, a dazzling musical innovator. The film also uncovers Ella’s commitment to the battle Civil Rights, and it explores the conflicts that always haunted this intensely private woman: the struggle to reconcile her hunger for adoring audiences with her longing for a domestic life with her husband and son. At a time when she was the biggest singing star in the world, her pianist and friend Oscar Peterson said Ella was ‘the loneliest woman in the world’.
Price: From £8.35
Duration:105 mins
Genres:Biography
Director:Leslie Woodhead
Year of Release:2019
More Birmingham Listings MORE
S.O.U.L. Fest 2026: Short Film Programme
A new generation of Black British filmmakers takes centre stage at S.O.U.L. Fest 2026, with a specially curated…
And Still I Rise
And Still I Rise brings an inspiring evening of new Black creativity to Midlands Arts Centre, showcasing emerging…
Celebrating Black History Month: MOBBO – Music of Black British Origin & More
MOBBO – Music of Black British Origin & More opens October with an evening celebrating the sounds, stories…
An Evening of Excellence
An Evening of Excellence brings contemporary art, fine dining, entertainment and community together for a sophisticated celebration of…
Sylvia
Sylvia tells the powerful and often overlooked story of Sylvia Pankhurst — a fearless, complex and determined figure…
Margaret Busby: Part of the Story
Pioneering publisher, editor, writer and cultural campaigner Margaret Busby comes to Birmingham Literature Festival to reflect on more…
African Soul Rebels
African Soul Rebels returns for a new generation, bringing some of the most adventurous voices in contemporary African…
Melanin Marvels Festival – Black History Month Children’s Festival
Melanin Marvels Festival – Black History Month Children’s Festival comes to Birmingham for a vibrant celebration of children’s…