Bill Cunningham in New York

A cinematic profile of the noted veteran New York City fashion photographer.

---------------------------------------------
The playlist Best Films of 2011 so far - Runners Up (in June):

“Bill Cunningham New York”—Even though everyone is ready their books and newspapers on their iPads or Kindles, the ritual of the Sunday New York Times—the biggest edition of the week that demands to be read over breakfast with sections scattered over the table—is something that can’t be replicated digitally. And one of the staples of the Sunday Times is Bill Cunningham’s “On The Street” section, a document of the week in fashion in one of the most fashionable cities in the country in all its creative, outrageous, refined and glamorous glory. Lovingly directed by Richard Press, “Bill Cunningham New York” is a love letter to a New York institution whose keen eye for fashion often sets or precedes the trends that later appear in the pages of Vogue or other highly influential magazines. Yet, despite working for one of the most prestigious newspapers in the world in an industry that could certainly allow him to live a life of luxury, it’s Cunningham’s humble attitude, spartan lifestyle and dedication to everyday people instead of the glitterati that makes for a fascinating and at times, surprisingly moving documentary. One of the last residents of the famed Carnegie Hall apartments—living in apartment not much bigger than a closet— Cunningham offers a window into a New York that is essentially gone, but it’s his dedication to what the average person is wearing that makes his work so unique, treasured and relevant. A flip through his decades long work with the New York Times is essentially a history lesson and time capsule but also a remarkable social document. Through his frequent subjects, admirers of work and colleagues, “Bill Cunningham New York” paints a lovely portrait of a man, slavishly dedicated to his job, highly protective of his subjects, who keeps his private life to himself and prefers to let his work do the talking for him. However, his acceptance speech in 2008 when receiving a special award from the French Ministry of Culture says all you need to know about the man, and it will leave in you tears.