First trailer drops for Liza Minnelli’s documentary Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story

The first trailer for Liza Minnelli’s documentary Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story has finally dropped, and it’s a stunning depiction of the icon.

Led by director Bruce David Klein, Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story sheds new light on Minelli in the 1970s and an insight into her personal life at the time. 

Her mother Judy Garland had just passed away and was a “catalyst” for the events that followed. Although the superstar faced mainstream success in her early roles, she was navigating drug abuse and relationship issues.

The documentary also sees never-before-seen footage of the Hollywood legend during her 1970s tour in Europe.

At the end of the trailer, a present-day shot of the star sees her speaking directly to the camera. “How lucky am I to have gone through all of the bad stuff that I have gone through? Because it prepared me for the rest of my life.”

The film’s official synopsis reads: “A tribute to a young artist of unlimited raw talent and the deep, creative relationships she has with her mentors and influences.”

Liza was first launched at this year’s Tribeca Festival before being screened at the Hamptons Film Festival, the Provincetown Film Festival and the NewFest LGBTQ+ Film Festival. It has been received well by critics so far. 

Director Klein said in a recent interview with Variety that he and the team “were blown away” by the first reel of footage.

“Right in front of us was this beautiful, vulnerable superstar of stage and screen at the height of her powers. She was literally the ‘it’ girl of the world at that time. Even the personal scenes of her just hanging out were fascinating and revealing. Our team really got a feel for who she was and what drove her.”

Also appearing in the documentary alongside Minelli are the likes of Bob Fosse, Glee’s Darren Chris, Fred Ebb, Michael Feinstein, Mia Farrow, Ben Vereen, Joel Grey, her sister Lorna Luft, and the late Chita Rivera. 

Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story is set to be released in New York on 24 January 2025 and Los Angeles on 31 January 2025, before being rolled out nationally in the US.