Film about songbird Eva needs help to get off the ground

THE moving story of singer Eva Cassidy’s life and untimely death are to be told in a forthcoming film, The Essence Of Eva, which has now been finished.

The filmmakers have talked to everyone in the Maryland-born artist’s life, from friends and fellow musicians to family, including her parents — and even Mick Fleetwood, who spotted her performing in a bar and was blown away.

In the film, Chris Biondo, who Cassidy dated until just before she fell ill, reflects that she had ‘no idea how good she was’ when they first met.

Bassist and music producer Biondo, who has never spoken before about their romance, reveals that their platonic relationship gradually became romantic after they connected through music, and eventually they discussed marriage.

Biondo says: ‘I talked to her about getting married and I don’t think she was the marrying kind. She just didn’t want to be tied to someone. She was a very self-contained person...so we didn’t fit too good.’

There are clips from six previously unheard songs in the documentary; as well as audio interviews, never broadcast, with Cassidy, whose singing reached a global audience after Terry Wogan played her version of Somewhere Over The Rainbow on his BBC Radio 2 show in 2000 ... four years after her death.

The picture is due to go to the European film market in Berlin next month, but makers Atom now need to find around €25,000 to complete the colour grading and sound mastering, as well as cover legal and rights costs for songs used, and have launched an Indiegogo crowd fundraiser.

Director Malcolm Willis says: ‘Like most independent documentaries, funding has been a continued hurdle. To date, we have mainly self-funded to maintain artistic control.’

Eva’s family and two fan clubs are backing the project.