As the stone-faced chanteuse of the Velvet Underground, Nico was the embodiment of Warholian beauty and apathy. Suzanne Ofteringer’s inventive documentary culls archival footage from Nico’s early modeling days and performances in films such as La Dolce Vita and The Chelsea Girls as well as rare performance footage from her work with the Velvets and her eerie, heroin-fueled solo gigs.

Originally produced as part of the American Masters series for PBS, this revealing portrait of the iconic singer-songwriter captures his early days in forgettable garage bands as well as the many transformations he has undergone in his career with the Velvet Underground and as a solo performer. The film features a mix of interviews from Factory-era stalwarts, fellow Velvets, and contemporary disciples of Reed, each of whom pays respects to New York’s poet laureate of rock and roll.