Film explores Janis Joplin's short but stunning career

Janis Joplin's career lasted a mere four years. She died in 1970 after overdosing on heroine at the age of 27. But she had already become an undisputed star of blues and rock.

The documentary film, "Janis: Little Girl Blue," premiered last fall at the Venice Film Festival and has since been viewed in cinemas around the world. It opens in Europe and Japan on January 14, 2016. The film relies both on archival footage and clips never seen before. It also includes interviews with people who knew Joplin well.

"Janis: Little Girl Blue" chronologically tells the story of a young woman growing up in conservative Texas in the 1960s. Feeling like she doesn't belong there, she moves to the West Coast and becomes an icon of rock music and the hippie movement.

The documentary captures the advent of the hippie movement in the US. Historical footage shows how Janis Joplin, who would've turned 73 on January 19 this year, became a focal point of popular culture. She rose to fame at an time when traditional norms were being challenged and the US was in the midst of the Vietnam War.

The documentary was filmed by American director Amy Berg, who has an Oscar nomination to her name ("Deliver Us from Evil," 2006). She approaches Janis Joplin's story with a mix of enthusiasm and sobriety.

She was known for being "electric" on stage, which the film conveys, and for playing multiple instruments. Offstage, she fought countless battles - with her own unstable personality, her desire for love and recognition, and the cut-throat music business.

Amy Berg quotes from numerous letter Janis Joplin wrote to her parents in Texas. They make clear that the young woman was not just a passionate musician, but also a sensitive and vulnerable person.

Like several other rock legends, Janis Joplin died at age 27. That's just one thing she has in common with the late soul singer Amy Winehouse. "Janis: Little Girl Blue" is a historical documentary that is still relevant in our time.