The wildly entertaining new documentary directed by Gero von Boehm on Helmut Newton, the legendary, controversial and influential photographer, on the occasion of his centennial is opening on virtual cinemas through Kino Marquee.
“If a photographer says he is not a voyeur, he is an idiot.” – Helmut Newton
“Men are just accessories, like hats and gloves.” – Helmut Newton
As one of the 20th century’s masters of photography, Helmut Newton made a name for himself exploring and elevating the female form through his striking, often nude images. Newton imbued fashion imagery with narrative depth and gave context to his subjects by creating stylized, dreamlike scenes that were disturbing, ambiguous, and bold. Critics questioned whether the women in his photos were treated as powerful icons or as submissive erotic objects – or as both. The film is an eye-popping romp through five decades filled with treasure troves of rare home videos, behind-the-scenes archival footage, and countless, strikingly beautiful photographs that track his beginnings in Berlin to eventual cult status.
Helmut Newton, who would have been 100 this year, tragically died in a car crash in 2006 in LA. The film includes candid interviews with many of his subjects: Grace Jones, Charlotte Rampling, Isabella Rossellini, Marianne Faithfull and Hanna Schygulla; fashion icons Anna Wintour, Claudia Schiffer, Nadja Auermann; as well as his wife and creative partner June Newton (known as Alice Springs from her photography). Susan Sontag, in a pointed exchange with Newtown, broadcast on French television, raises the question of the photographer’s alleged misogyny.
HELMUT NEWTON:
THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL
Directed by Gero von Boehm
2020, Germany, Languages: English & German, 89 minutes
Starring Grace Jones, Isabella Rossellini, Anna Wintour, Charlotte Rampling, Marianne Faithfull, Claudia Schiffer, Nadja Auermann & more!
Official Selection – 2020 Tribeca Film Festival
NOW OPEN!
Virtual cinemas in support of 350+ art house theaters
The film is available for audiences in virtual cinemas through Kino Marquee
