Netflix reveals upcoming Michelle Obama documentary

Former first lady Michelle Obama‘s memoir, “Becoming,” is the book the keeps on giving. It rapidly climbed the list of best-selling memoirs of all time, the audiobook version picked up a Grammy this year, and now the “Becoming” book tour is the subject of a new Netflix documentary film set to be released May 6.

Directed by Nadia Hallgren, the film offers “an intimate look into the life of former First Lady Michelle Obama during a moment of profound change, not only for her personally but for the country she and her husband served over eight impactful years in the White House,” according to Netflix.

Viewers will be given a rare backstage view of Mrs. Obama’s 34-city book tour which drew thousands of people to sold-out arenas.

“Those months I spent traveling — meeting and connecting with people in cities across the globe — drove home the idea that what we share in common is deep and real and can’t be messed with,” Mrs. Obama shared in a statement.

“I treasure the memories and that sense of connection now more than ever, as we struggle together to weather this pandemic, as we care for our loved ones, tend to our communities, and try to keep up with work and school while coping with huge amounts of loss, confusion, and uncertainty,” she continued. “It’s hard these days to feel grounded or hopeful, but I hope that like me, you’ll find joy and a bit of respite in what Nadia has made.”

The mother of two also opened up about how the coronavirus crisis has impacted her. 

“As many of you know, I’m a hugger. My whole life, I’ve seen it as the most natural and equalizing gesture one human can make toward another — the easiest way of saying, “I’m here for you.” And this is one of the toughest parts of our new reality: Things that once felt simple — going to see a friend, sitting with someone who is hurting, embracing someone new — are now not simple at all. But I’m here for you,” she wrote.

Netflix also gave viewers a brief glimpse of the doc. In the clip, Mrs. Obama chats with a group of black girls, saying she “craved some longer experiences with young people” and that “through the community events, the tour could do a great job of giving me a little taste of it.”

She also talks in the clip about how much her husband’s two terms in the White House changed her life. “It’s different forever,” she tells the girls. “So it’s not getting back on track, but it’s creating my next track. So little of who I am happened in those eight years. So much of who I am happened before.”

The documentary “Becoming” is the newest release from the Obamas’ Higher Ground Productions. In 2018, the couple signed a multi-year agreement to produce films and series for Netflix through Higher Ground. Their first release, “American Factory,” won an Academy Award earlier this year for Best Documentary Feature.