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Review

A star rating of 4 out of 5.

The key to a great documentary is a compelling story and skilful, sympathetic film-making. John Maloof and Charlie Siskel's film about Vivian Maier, a former nanny who, after her death, was revealed to be a compulsive and stunningly talented photographer, has both in spades. Maier was utterly unknown to the art world when in 2007 Maloof bought an old box of negatives and, amazed by their quality, resolved to find out who took them, subsequently amassing an archive of tens of thousands of pictures. He and Siskel reveal a complex, difficult character and hint at darker elements to Maier's personality as they try to bring this intensely private woman's life into focus. But the film is not just about Maier's photographs. It's also about the people she encountered, their surprisingly different memories of the same person, and about the nature of art and the ethics of making money out of the work of a woman who refused to show it during her lifetime. And, finally, it's a strangely haunting tale of a life quietly slipping away unnoticed.

How to watch

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Credits

Cast

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Vivian MaierVivian Maier
John MaloofJohn Maloof
Mary Ellen MarkMary Ellen Mark
Phil DonahuePhil Donahue
Tim RothTim Roth

Crew

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DirectorJohn Maloof
DirectorCharlie Siskel

Details

Theatrical distributor
Soda Pictures
Released on
2014-07-18
Languages
English | French
Available on
DVD and Blu-ray
Formats
Black and white
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