Before learning about the #FreeBritney movement, I had no idea what a conservatorship was and how it could potentially be so damaging. The film explains that under U.S law, a conservatorship appoints a protector, in Britney’s case her father, to manage financial affairs and daily life due to physical or mental limitations.
Perhaps this is a poor choice as it only really goes into detail of the current state of the conservatorship in the last 20 minutes
With filming starting two years ago, Erin Lee Carr and journalist Jenny Eliscu include paparazzi footage from 2007, placing more of a focus on the media perception of Spears at the beginning of her legal battle. This is before giving harrowing details of the conservatorship, including how her medication increased on days she agreed to work. Perhaps this is a poor choice as it only really goes into detail of the current state of the conservatorship in the last 20 minutes - briefly mentioning the current influence of the #FreeBritney protests and playing audio clips from recent trials where Spears heartbreakingly states: “It’s been 13 years and I want my life back.”
Whilst this documentary provides a good summary of how Britney ended up in this position, extra details on the past year’s court cases would have been more productive in showing audiences how unfair this legal battle is, and how long it has taken her to fight for her freedom. It highlights how successful women are still being silenced by the “all-powerful-male” in the music industry; linking to how Taylor Swift is re-recording her albums after losing the rights to her own music to Scooter Braun. Carr’s educational approach informs viewers of the severity of the conservatorship and is a good starting point for learning more about the #FreeBritney movement.
