Piaf: Her Story ... Her Songs Starring Raquel Bitton

Piaf: Her Story ... Her Songs Starring Raquel Bitton

Lionsgate Films Releases an American Production of a French Icon

SAN FRANCISCO, June 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Sparrow Productions Inc., the artist management company for French Jazz singer Raquel Bitton, announced today the Lionsgate Films release of Piaf: Her story ... Her songs, starring Raquel Bitton.

Winner of the Special Jury Award for the Most Moving Film Experience at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, Piaf: Her Story ... Her Songs celebrates Edith Piaf's extraordinary life through stories and songs that reflect each major episode of her life from singing in the streets of Paris as a child to becoming the highest paid singer in the world at that time.

Raquel Bitton, who has been internationally praised as the foremost interpreter of Piaf's music, beautifully presents Piaf's songs through a theatrical presentation. Part documentary, part stage performance, Piaf: Her Story ... Her Song, is a passionate tribute to the French icon, written and preformed by Bitton that showcases 16 famous songs fully orchestrated including Piaf's signature songs "La Vie en Rose," "No Regrets," "Milord," and "A Hymn to Love."

Sung in both French and English, Bitton's heartfelt renditions and powerful delivery, along with interviews with Piaf's friends, family and colleagues, take audiences on an intensely moving journey.

"Tears flowed down my eyes," said M. Barber, Miami Herald.

"One of the most memorable events of my 26 years at the Denver International film festival. A touching performance," said Ron Henderson, Director of the Denver Film Society and The Denver International Film Festival.

The DVD also includes "Les Avions sont des Oiseaux" -- a new original song composed by Academy Award(R)-winning composer Francis Lai (Love Story, A Man and a Woman) -- who was one of Piaf's composers and accordionist. Piaf: Her Story ... Her Songs is truly the only film of its kind and a must have for all Piaf fans.

"The great French jazz singer Raquel Bitton has fashioned interpretations of Piaf's songbook that are the best thing since, well, Piaf herself sang them," said Janice Page, The Boston Globe.

About Raquel Bitton

Since immigrating from Marrakech to the United States as a young teenager in 1968, Raquel Bitton has been enthralling audiences with her elegant renditions of the music from the golden era of French Jazz of the 1930's and 40's.

Bitton has crafted numerous sell-out hit shows i.e. "A little bit of Paris," "Piaf: Her Story ... Her Songs" and "Pops goes to Paris" that she has performed in jazz clubs and at grand concert halls with full symphony orchestra's throughout North America including several sold out performances at Carnegie Hall.

With six albums to her credit (Paris Blues her newest release in Feb. 06), Raquel Bitton is internationally recognized as the foremost singer of the music from a romantic period in Jazz that converged in Paris during the 1930's and 40's which produced some of the most gifted composers and performers of this century.

"Magnificent ... , Emotional..., Mesmerizing ... , Piaf and Billie Holiday shared a poignancy in their delivery that few others have mastered; Bitton, here, is one," said Phil Elwood, San Francisco Examiner/Chronicle.

For more information about Raquel Bitton please visit:
www.raquelbitton.com
Sparrow Productions Inc., 415 883-3393, sparrowprdct@aol.com
For artwork and additional information e-mail Elizabeth Atler at
Elizabeth_atler@bhimpact.com

Source: Sparrow Productions Inc.

CONTACT: Sparrow Productions Inc., +1-415-883-3393,
sparrowprdct@aol.com

Web site: http://www.raquelbitton.com/

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