Sky Documentaries Unveils Becoming Madonna

Sky Documentaries has announced a new original feature documentary, charting Madonna's rise to become the biggest female pop icon in history.

Becoming Madonna is an immersive, archive driven film built around a cache of recently uncovered audio tapes in which a young Madonna reflects on her extraordinary life and career.

With rare footage, unseen photos and intimate interviews with family, friends and collaborators, some of whom have never spoken in a documentary before, the film shows this celebrated star as we’ve never seen her before.

When Madonna arrived in New York City from Michigan with dreams of becoming a professional dancer, it was the start of an incredible journey. This film charts the period 1978-1992 as Madonna dramatically transformed herself from insecure 19-year-old outsider to the most controversial pop star in the world, with the astonishing publication of her erotic photography book ‘Sex’.

These were the heady years during which Madonna came of age as a person and an uncompromising artist. Through her fiery conflicts with the conservative establishment in the 80s and 90s, the film powerfully evokes a time where traditional views on sexuality and gender roles were being audaciously challenged and Madonna was always at the vanguard.

Previously unseen archive sheds new light on the personal tragedies that fuelled Madonna’s drive, re-examining the early death of her mother and those of her dance teacher Christopher Flynn and close friend Martin Burgoyne, both of whom died during the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s.Through their stories, we see Madonna in a new light: smarter, more radical and more vulnerable than anyone at the time gave her credit for.

Hayley Reynolds, Acting Director of Documentaries and Factual, Sky, said: "Since her debut in the 80s, Madonna has been a powerhouse in pop music and carved the way for many of today's most popular artists. This film brings a fresh perspective on an enduring icon and we’re thrilled to be working alongside Optomen to bring her story to Sky audiences."