Jackie Shane documentary to make world premiere at SXSW film festival

A Canadian documentary on the mysterious life of soul singer Jackie Shane is headed to the South by Southwest film festival.

The National Film Board of Canada says its co-production “Any Other Way: The Jackie Shane Story” will make its world premiere at the fest, which runs from March 8 to 16 in Austin, Texas.

The film, which is executive produced by Halifax actor Elliot Page, retraces the story of the trailblazing transgender musician. She is credited with helping to shape “the Toronto sound,” a version of electric soul that came to prominence in the early 1960s.

Shane was born in Nashville, and her music aspirations led to playing clubs in Montreal and Boston, but her home was at Toronto’s Saphire Tavern until she suddenly quit music in 1971.

She spent much of her later life as a recluse until she died in 2019.

Filmmakers Michael Mabbott and Lucah Rosenberg-Lee intend to fill in some of the blanks with never-before-heard phone recordings, rotoscope animation and an original score by Murray Lightburn, lead vocalist of Montreal band the Dears.

Interest in Shane’s life was reignited with a 2017 retrospective album, which earned a Grammy nomination and was key in drawing new listeners to her music, including songs “Comin’ Down” and “Any Other Way.” 

In 2022, Shane was the focus of a Heritage Minute that highlighted her career.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 7, 2024.

David Friend, The Canadian Press