FIFA English Films

Vivian Maier self-portrait

I saw two movies about two EXTRAORDINARY female photographers: VIVIAN MAIER and ROBYN BEECHE.

The first is a totally mysterious woman who worked as a nanny in the Chicago of the 1950's and 1960's: Vivian Maier: Who Took Nanny's Pictures? This woman who lived mostly behind the scene of her time nonetheless captured the most striking photographs of the people around her, of the landscape, the city scape. I adored the incredible cast of characters she shot, street people, the elderly, the lowdown  and downtrodden and the families. Some of her stills are self-portraits. We get a hint of who she may have been through these brilliantly composed yet enigmatic images.

Divine photographed by Robyn Beeche

The second woman shot the MOST colorful and inventive photos of the 1980's London with its wild cast of characters like LEIGH BOWERY and DIVINE to name a few, and who is now pursuing a lifelong project to document her beloved India where she has been residing for more than 25 years: A Life Exposed: Robyn Beeche. This movie is so esthetically delicious, you MUST take some time to see it on the big screen at this wonderful festival. You can follow the link in the left column for more information about the programming.

-LENA GHIO