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Parents' Guide to

Presenting Princess Shaw

By Barbara Shulgasser-Parker, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Struggling singer finds YouTube fame in moving documentary.

Movie NR 2016 83 minutes
Presenting Princess Shaw Poster Image

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What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

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What's the Story?

By day, Samantha Montgomery is a caretaker at an assisted-living facility in New Orleans, cheerful, helpful, and singing "Over the Rainbow" to her charges. She struggles with poverty and works every day to overcome hideous childhood sexual abuse. But on her own time, she's Princess Shaw, a cherry-haired gift to the world who confesses her deepest thoughts and sings her own songs to her phone, then uploads the recordings to YouTube -- where, until recently, hardly anyone ever saw them. Enter Kutiman (aka Ophir Kutiel), an Israeli mash-up artist who uses strategically edited bits of work posted to the internet by amateur musicians. In PRESENTING PRINCESS SHAW, we watch Kutiman take one note from a keyboard player and a riff from a guitarist and stitch it all together to "create" new works the way a collage-maker creates art by arranging and altering found objects. Inspired by Montgomery's a capella YouTube songs, Kutiman creates lush accompaniments. When his version of her song "Give It Up" went viral (2.5 million views to date), Montgomery learned of her "collaborator" for the first time (her stunned reaction is recorded here). Eventually she visits Kutiman in Tel Aviv, where they work together and put on a well-attended concert that seems to be the highlight of Montgomery's life.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

The filmmakers chose Montgomery wisely; the depth of her personal pain and the earnestness of her striving and optimism give this movie substance it might otherwise lack. According to Montgomery, director Ido Haar originally followed several of Kutiman's YouTube "collaborators," but slowly Presenting Princess Shaw whittled down to become a story about Montgomery, Kutiman, and their beautiful relationship. Kutiman deserves praise for, if nothing else, the joy he brought Montgomery by appreciating her art, by enhancing it, and by being inspired by it. This validation from another artist is what Montgomery -- poor, undereducated, and lonely -- craved her whole life. Watching the tears of joy she experiences after hearing Kutiman's version of her song for the first time is a singular moment that will touch most viewers and should be the kind of emotional truth that documentary makers aim to achieve.

But difficult questions are still raised. Kutiman neither pays nor asks the permission of his many "collaborators." This free use of artistic works uploaded to the internet expresses the philosophy of the free culture movement, which objects to stringent copyright laws and other exercises of ownership and financial control of art. Yet the irony is that, in some sense, Kutiman's efforts to use others' work and polish it into better, more marketable art makes him -- by force of his personality and drive -- exactly the kind of gatekeeper that many talented but financially naïve artists look for in the effort to promote their work. It's not that Kutiman exploits them financially. It's just that these are real people who are attached to the work he collects and uses, so you can't help but feel that they ought to be asked permission. On the positive side, in Montgomery's case, Kutiman's appreciation marked the first time she ever felt encouraged in her art by someone she respects. For that reason, it's hard not to love Kutiman for the hope and self-respect he gives her. The question the movie leaves unanswered is obvious: If there's a marketplace demand for their collaborations, will Montgomery make enough to quit her day job? The movie doesn't say, but in a subsequent interview, Montgomery does announce that she and Kutiman collaborated on an album that's nearing release.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the struggle of overcoming difficult childhood experiences. How has Montgomery dealt with her painful past? What helps people move on?

  • How much of a role do you think luck plays in how successful people are in life? How do factors like socioeconomic status affect someone's likelihood of success?

  • How does the film depict YouTube, both as a creative outlet and as a means to recognition/fame? Is it OK for kids to start their own YouTube channel?

  • Is it fair for mash-up artists like Kutiman to use bits and pieces of others' work to create new pieces? How far does ownership extend on the web? In other areas of life? How do questions like these tie into the idea of digital citizenship?

Movie Details

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