In this sympathetic and in-depth retelling of Britney Spears' life story, audiences are invited to see her public narrative from a different perspective.

The public escapades of Britney Spears are the stuff of celebrity lore. But as with every legendary story, there's more than meets the eye.

What really happened when Britney 'fell from grace'? What do her old interviews look like in a modern context? And what is a legal conservatorship – the arrangement she's been in with her father since 2008?

Part of The New York Times Presents series, Framing Britney Spears pulls interviews from NYT culture reporters, Britney superfans, and legal experts for a new look at the star.

Filmmaker Samantha Stark directs this short documentary, following her work on the series' earlier iteration known as The Weekly.

The film attempts to answer a question that has yet to be fully solved: What really happened to Britney Spears?

Interviewing a myriad of people involved in the pop star's life and career as well as fans, legal experts, and paparazzi, the documentary retells her well-trodden story with a new perspective.

Why did the public treat Britney with such derision, and how did it contribute to her eventual downfall and, as some claim, financial imprisonment by her parents?