Street and fashion photographer Bill Cunningham candidly tells his story in his own words in the documentary The Times of Bill Cunningham.
He was involved with the papers from the very start, as a young newspaper delivery boy on a bike, and then attended university at Harvard. After dropping out of Harvard, Cunningham began his fashion career making women’s hats. His role as a designer eventually changed to that of a fashion writer and street photographer (still on bicycle), and in 1978 he got the attention of the New York Times after capturing Greta Garbo off guard in a photo. He reported for the Times from 1978 until he passed away in 2016 at the age of 87.
The film, which runs just over an hour, was created from pieces of a six hour interview he gave in 1994, where we get to see the enigmatic personality of the man behind the camera shine. The Times of Bill Cunningham chronicles his direct involvement and recording of important historical figures and events, and also gives a first look at many of Cunningham’s previously unreleased photos. It is directed by Mark Bozek and narrated by Sarah Jessica Parker.
The Times of Bill Cunningham arrives in theaters this Valentine’s day, February 14th, 2020.
