Lucy and Desi is a 2022 American documentary film directed by Amy Poehler in her documentary directorial debut. The film explores the unlikely partnership and enduring legacy of one of the most prolific power couples in entertainment history, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.
The film had its worldwide release on March 4, 2022 through Amazon Prime Video. It received positive reviews and was nominated for six Emmy Awards including the Emmy Award for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special, winning two.
Synopsis Lucy and Desi is a peek behind the curtain of the relationship between two trailblazers – featuring interviews with Lucie Arnaz Luckinbill, Norman Lear, Desi Arnaz Jr, Carol Burnett and Bette Midler.
Production The film is directed by Emmy Award winning actress, comedian and director Amy Poehler in her documentary directorial debut, and written by Mark Monroe. Poehler and the creative team were able to utilize never-before-heard audio interviews with Ball and Arnaz after producer Jeanne Elfant Festa discovered a box of audiotapes while exploring archival materials with Lucy and Desi's daughter, Lucie Arnaz Luckinbill. Furthermore, the production team had full access to the Ball/Arnaz estate overseen by Arnaz Luckinbill.
Release Lucy and Desi debuted at the Sundance Film Festival on January 22, 2022. The film was released worldwide on Amazon Prime Video on March 4, 2022.
Reception
Awards and nominations YearAwardCategoryNominee(s)ResultHollywood Critics Association TV AwardsBest Streaming Documentary Television MovieLucy and Desi Primetime Emmy AwardsOutstanding Music Composition for a Documentary Series or Special (Original Dramatic Score)David Schwartz Outstanding Writing for a Nonfiction ProgramMark Monroe Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction ProgramAmy Poehler Outstanding Picture Editing for a Nonfiction or Reality Program (Single or Multi-Camera)Robert A. Martinez, Dan Reed and Inaya Graciana Yusuf Outstanding Sound Editing for a Nonfiction or Reality Program (Single or Multi-Camera)Anthony Vanchure, Daniel Pagan, Mike James Gallagher, Jason Tregoe Newman, Bryant J. Fuhrmann Outstanding Documentary/Nonfiction ProgramMichael Rosenberg, Justin Wilkes, Jeanne Elfant Festa, Nigel Sinclair, Amy Poehler, and Mark Monroe, produced by Critics' Choice Documentary AwardsBest First Documentary FeatureAmy Poehler Best Biographical DocumentaryAmazon Studios Best Score David Schwartz Peabody AwardsDocumentaryAmazon Studios, Imagine Documentaries, White Horse Pictures in association with Paper Kite Productions and Diamond Docs (Prime Video) Producers Guild of America AwardsOutstanding Producer of Non-Fiction TelevisionAmazon Writers Guild of America AwardsDocumentary Script – Other than Current EventsMark Monroe (Prime Video)
References
External links