Documentary about rock singer Pete Doherty
Musical genius, poet, criminal, heroin addict: British musician Pete Doherty has played many roles in his life. A new documentary now brings them all together. "Peter Doherty: Stranger In My Own Skin" follows the life of the now 44-year-old.
It shows his successes as the founder of the band The Libertines (together with Carl Barât) and his ongoing battle against drug addiction, which has plagued him for around two decades. The result is a raw and intimate documentary that is at times harrowing.
Euphoria and crashes
Doherty is shown several times using heroin and other drugs. At one point, he describes heroin as a "magic key to another dimension". The addiction was to lead to the break-up of his band Libertines, prison stays, various withdrawal attempts and a lot of pain.
The documentary was filmed by his current wife Katia deVidas over a period of ten years. It tells the story of his childhood, the beginnings of the Libertines, the meteoric success, the crashes and moments of reflection.
His infamous relationships, for example with supermodel Kate Moss, his three children or other details of his private life are not covered. The focus is clearly on Doherty as an artist and addict. In the voice-over, he reflects on his life, music and addiction in often poetic words.
The Libertines were the band of the moment
Many scenes feature concert performances by his various bands, showcasing Doherty's musical talent. Mick Jones, famous musician from the band The Clash, produced the first two Libertines albums from 2002 and 2004. In the documentary, he says: "Every now and then there's a band that just has everything. This was one of those bands."
There is pure chaos in many scenes. Sometimes Doherty is shown in a cluttered house full of antique furniture, feeding himself and a couple of cats with fish. Sometimes in his shared flat in Paris - records and crosses on the wall - after he missed a flight to Thailand, where he was due to start another detox.
He has been clean since 2019, says Doherty. He now lives with deVidas in Normandy. He has a studio there and continues to work as a musician.
Peter Doherty: Stranger In My Own Skin, Great Britain 2023, 92 minutes, by Katia deVidas
The documentary also explores Doherty's love for movies, often quoting lines from his favorite films in his music. His favorite movie genre is musicals, particularly those from the 1960s.
Despite his tumultuous life, Doherty found solace in attending local cinemas whenever he could, often finding inspiration for his music in the movies he watched.
Source: www.dpa.com
