Oscar-winning director Kevin Macdonald explores the life of the phenomenally popular American singer and actress Whitney Houston. From her earliest days, Houston seemed destined for musical success: as a child singing gospel at church, her vocal talent stood out, and she couldn’t have wanted for better contacts in the music industry; her mother Cissy Houston was a backing singer to Aretha Franklin and Elvis Presley, and her aunt was the superstar Dionne Warwick. But her fame was dogged by a parallel story of addiction and self-destruction, which ended with her tragic death in a hotel bathtub in February 2012, aged 48. With unprecedented access to Houston’s family, friends, and collaborators, Macdonald’s documentary tracks her rise and probes her private torment. Contributors include her brothers Michael and Gary; Cissy Houston; her record label boss Clive Davis; her ex-husband Bobby Brown; and actor Kevin Costner.