Ella and Marilyn

The year is 1952. Ella Fitzgerald is already a famous jazz singer, whose path to the absolute top is hindered “only” by society's attitude towards women and by racial prejudice. At the same time, the star of Marilyn Monroe is also beginning to rise steeply. She, in turn, is fighting endless battles with studio executives, possessive men, and her own demons. She needs to learn how to sing – and she won't settle for just any teacher. She wants the best. Despite Ella's refusal, Marilyn doesn't give up, and an unexpected kinship gradually forms from their correspondence. Both face the prejudices and conventions of society, fight for their own independence, and long to climb to the very top. Their bond, which lasted for more than a decade, is a reminder that there is a force capable of overcoming barriers, losses, emotional turmoil, and tumultuous success. That force is true friendship.

Translated by Dana Chodilová.