5 Oct 2016
BFI Film Festival: 245 features. 74 countries. 15 cinemas. 12 days. One Festival.
This riotous documentary about legendary American photographer Robert Frank goes far beyond the traditional bio-doc. It takes an impassioned look at Frank’s creative process, starting with The Americans—the book that revolutionised photojournalism—before moving back and forth into his career, from his involvement with the Beat Generation, The Rolling Stones and 1960s counter culture, to his lesser-known career in filmmaking and relationships with his wife, the artist June Leaf, and their children. Director Laura Israel has been working as Frank’s editor for nearly 20 years and their longstanding friendship, and her remarkable editing skills, make this a unique, compelling and creatively rich documentary.
Combining stunning monochrome imagery, footage of Frank’s film works, snapshots of the artist talking about his career and a banging rock soundtrack, Don’t Blink – Robert Frank is an exhilarating ride in the company of one of the most provocative, restless and irreverent photographers of this or any other time.
(Notes by Laure Bonville)
Don't Blink - Robert Frank, dir. Laura Israel, USA 2015, 82 mins, cert. 15.
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