I’m just going to need everyone to stop what they’re doing and go watch the new New York Times documentary Framing Britney Spears, like… right now. Go on, get!
Framing Britney Spears is a brand new tell-all documentary centring around the star’s rise and fall from fame, and the controversial conservatorship she now finds herself trapped in.
WTF Is #FreeBritney?
The whole situation is incredibly complex – which is why the documentary is so good – but to put it simply, Britney Spears is under a conservatorship, not unlike those used to protect people who have had serious injuries or illnesses that prevent them from making their own decisions in life.
Most people who are under conservatorships are either very elderly, or have a serious and debilitating medical condition, but Britney Spears has neither. She is still able to perform Las Vegas residencies and release huge albums, which begs the question: why is she under a conservatorship at all?
This is where the Instagram account and podcast @britneysgram comes in – aka the creators of the #FreeBritney movement.
Basically, the #FreeBritney community believes that she is allegedly unfairly being held in a conservatorship by her father, Jamie Spears.
The movement has been ongoing for months now, with the Instagram account posting regular updates on her court hearings and basically anything else to do with her situation. But it has now grown so big that the New York Times (yes, the fucking New York Times) has directed a documentary on it.
What Is Framing Britney Spears?
Framing Britney Spears is the New York Times’ documentary on the situation, and it truly is an incredible watch.
The documentary not only covers the #FreeBritney movement, but tells the whole story of her rise and fall from fame, and the uncomfortable (see: shitty) role the media, and the general public played in her downfall.
We see her grow up, watch her young love with notorious fuckboy Justin Timberlake, see her heartbreak and watch her get absolutely obliterated by sexism and misogyny in the media. She’s slut-shamed, abused by the paparazzi and ridiculed for pretty much every decision she makes until she eventually snaps.
From there, the documentary tells the story of her downfall – including the infamous shaved head -through a lens that many of us likely have never seen it through, which brings us right up to present day Britney, and the status of her conservatorship.
In addition to being a documentary about the rise and fall of Britney, Framing Britney Spears is a deep and insightful look at the way women have, and still are, treated in the entertainment industry.
Is There A Trailer For Framing Britney Spears?
Don’t believe me? Take a quick gander at the official trailer, which features interviews with her former stylist, chaperone, legal experts and journalists involved in the situation.
The documentary is part of the highly regarded The New York Times Presents series, which has previously tackled the coronavirus pandemic and the killing of Breonna Taylor, among other topics.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbtxTQWEQ9Y
Where To Watch Framing Britney Spears:
At this point, you’re probably just wondering where the heck you can watch it, right?
For a hot second there, you could watch it on YouTube, but all of the ripped YouTube copies have since been deleted.
The documentary is available on Hulu right now, which means you’ve gotta jump through a few hoops if you’re really desperate for that Britney content. Basically, you’ll just need to set up a VPN and have your computer pretend that you’re living in the sweet ol’ US of A so you can cop access to Hulu’s extensive library.
The best part? You can use a Hulu free trial, so the actual streaming service won’t cost you a cent (provided you remember to cancel it before the trial is over).
Or, if you’re keen to watch it on free-to-air TV, the documentary will air on Channel 9 at 9pm on Tuesday, March 2. However, it’s unclear if it will be added to their 9Now streaming service or not.
