Allison Anders to direct a Joni Mitchell documentary -- The "Grace of My Heart" director finds the singer's maturity has enhanced her musical wisdom, by Chris Willman

After setting her last three feature films in a musical milieu, Allison Anders ("Grace of My Heart") is making a documentary about -- surprise -- a musician: Joni Mitchell. Anders is shooting the recording sessions for Mitchell's next album, which finds the singer revisiting vintage originals like "Circle Game" with the London Symphony Orchestra -- and pairing with "day players" like Ry Cooder, Wayne Shorter, Billy Preston, Herbie Hancock, and (tentatively) Neil Young. "Some of it is material she did as a young girl, with a soprano voice and an acoustic guitar, now with an orchestra and an alto," says Anders. "It's so interesting to hear these same songs with wisdom. Not that she wasn't wise before, but it's like 'I thought I was on to something then, and now I know I am."'