Andrea Bocelli: Because I Believe

Over the last 30 years, with a rare repertoire that encompasses pop, rock, and opera, Andrea Bocelli and his golden voice have touched the hearts of millions of listeners around the world. Using last year’s magisterial concert at the Baths of Caracalla as its anchor, Andrea Bocelli: Because I Believe is an intimate portrait of one of the world’s greatest living singers.

Bocelli grew up in the Tuscan village of La Sterza. Despite being born with congenital glaucoma and losing his sight completely at age 12, he frequently took long horseback rides alone, feeling, as he declares, “zero fear.” That same fearlessness helped him work his way up, going from dues-paying gigs singing Sinatra songs at piano bars to eventually having a worldwide smash with “Time to Say Goodbye,” his astonishing duet with Sarah Brightman. Earning plaudits from Pavarotti, Bocelli then went on to make his name with the gale-force power of his dazzling tenor. Decades later, he continues to move fluidly between genres, singing alongside peers as diverse as Cristina Pasaroiu, Jennifer Lopez, and Dua Lipa.

Directed by Cosima Spender (Palio), this inspiring documentary tracks Bocelli’s path to success and ongoing dedication to his craft through interviews and archival performance footage, as well as informal gatherings, such as a diverting party where Bocelli’s friends and family reminisce over food and wine. When Bocelli sings, it is as though heaven has opened its gates, but watching Because I Believe reminds us that this remarkable artist is very much rooted in the earth.