Movies About Photographers

From Directors: Fernando Meirelles, Kátia Lund, starring Alexandre Rodrigues, Leandro Firmino, Matheus Nachtergaele, Phellipe Haagensen
Rated R

City of God is a 2002 Brazilian crime drama film directed by Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund. Set in the Cidade de Deus suburb of Rio de Janeiro, the film tells the story of Rocket, a young boy who grows up in a volatile environment, witnessing a number of harrowing events. The story follows Rocket's journey from a life of crime to a more hopeful path, as he strives to become a professional photographer. The film is noted for its gritty and realistic portrayal of urban violence and its innovative use of techniques such as hand-held cameras and split-screen sequences. The film received widespread critical acclaim, earning four Academy Award nominations and numerous awards at film festivals around the world. It is now widely considered a modern classic of world cinema.

From Christopher Nolan, starring Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, Mark Boone Junior
Rated R

Memento is a 2000 film directed by Christopher Nolan that stars Guy Pearce as Leonard Shelby, a man with anterograde amnesia, which prevents him from forming new memories. Following a traumatic incident, Leonard attempts to track down his wife's murderer. He is aided by the notes and tattoos he has made to himself to remember details of the case, and he struggles to piece together the facts he discovers. Leonard's search for the truth leads to an unexpected conclusion that tests the boundaries of memory, justice, and personal identity.

From Jean-Pierre Jeunet, starring Audrey Tautou, Mathieu Kassovitz, Rufus, Lorella Cravotta
Rated R

Amélie is a 2001 French romantic comedy-drama film directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. The film tells the story of Amélie Poulain, an innocent and naive girl in Paris with her own sense of justice. She decides to help those around her and, along the way, discovers love. The film follows Amélie's adventures in the Montmartre area of Paris as she interacts with an eclectic cast of characters, including a gentle but solitary hypochondriac, an eccentric artist, and a shy but loyal suitor. Through these interactions, Amélie discovers the power of love and how far it can take her. Ultimately, she finds the courage to follow her dreams and find her own happiness.

From Roland Joffé, starring Sam Waterston, Haing S. Ngor, John Malkovich, Julian Sands
Rated R

The Killing Fields is a 1984 film directed by Roland Joffé and starring Sam Waterston, Haing S. Ngor, and Dr. John Malkovich. The film is based on the true story of journalist Sydney Schanberg and his Cambodian colleague Dith Pran during the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia. Schanberg and Pran are separated during the Cambodian evacuation of 1975 but Schanberg promises to return for Pran. Schanberg returns to Cambodia, but Pran has disappeared. The movie follows Schanberg's efforts to find Pran and his account of the atrocities inflicted by the Khmer Rouge. Through his journey, Schanberg and his colleagues are exposed to the harsh realities of the Cambodian genocide and the suffering of the Cambodian people.

From Sam Mendes, starring Tom Hanks, Tyler Hoechlin, Rob Maxey, Liam Aiken
Rated R

Road to Perdition is a 2002 American crime drama film directed by Sam Mendes, based on the graphic novel of the same name by Max Allan Collins. The film stars Tom Hanks, Paul Newman, Jude Law, and Daniel Craig. Set during the Great Depression, the film tells the story of Michael Sullivan, Sr. (Hanks), a mob enforcer and hitman, who is trying to protect his son Michael Sullivan, Jr. (Tyler Hoechlin) from the same fate. Michael Sr. must navigate a dangerous world of crime and violence as he struggles to keep his family safe, eventually leading them on a path of vengeance and redemption.

From Clint Eastwood, starring Clint Eastwood, Meryl Streep, Annie Corley, Victor Slezak
Rated PG-13

The Bridges of Madison County is a 1995 drama directed by Clint Eastwood and based on the novel of the same name by Robert James Waller. The film follows Francesca Johnson (Meryl Streep), an Italian-American housewife living in Madison County, Iowa with her husband and two children. When National Geographic photographer Robert Kincaid (Clint Eastwood) arrives in search of the famed covered bridges of the county, Francesca and Robert soon develop an unexpected connection that leads to a romantic affair. As their affair begins to deepen, Francesca must choose between staying with her family or following her heart and leaving with Robert. The Bridges of Madison County is a story of love, loss, and the power of the choices we make.

From Jan Troell, starring Maria Heiskanen, Mikael Persbrandt, Jesper Christensen, Callin Öhrvall
Rated Not Rated

Everlasting Moments is a beautifully crafted Swedish drama set in the early 1900s. It follows Maria Larsson, a strong-willed and determined woman, as she struggles to make a better life for her family. With her husband's failing health and her frequent clashes with her in-laws, Maria is determined to make the most of her life. After she wins a camera in a lottery, she discovers that she has a real talent for photography and begins to take pictures of her family and the people around her. Through her talent, she finds a passion and a way to express herself, and also discovers a new-found strength within her. As her life evolves, her photographs become a way to hold on to her ever-lasting moments.

From Nuri Bilge Ceylan, starring Muzaffer Özdemir, Mehmet Emin Toprak, Zuhal Gencer, Nazan Kesal
Rated Not Rated

Distant is a Turkish drama film directed by Nuri Bilge Ceylan and released in 2002. The film follows two men, Mahmut and Yusuf, who are strangers living in Istanbul. Mahmut is a photographer who has recently been laid off from his job, while Yusuf is a relative of his landlord who has come to the city to find work. The film follows the two men's lives, as Mahmut's isolation and loneliness give way to occasional moments of friendship and camaraderie with Yusuf. As the two men grow closer, Mahmut finds himself increasingly drawn to the possibility of a meaningful relationship with Yusuf, despite their drastically different backgrounds. In the end, the two men's lives are changed in subtle but profound ways, as they each grapple with the difficulties of finding solace in a strange and distant world.

From Michelangelo Antonioni, starring David Hemmings, Vanessa Redgrave, Sarah Miles, John Castle
Rated Not Rated

Blow-Up is a 1966 British-Italian psychological drama film directed by Michelangelo Antonioni and starring David Hemmings as a London fashion photographer. The film follows a day in the life of the young photographer as he unknowingly becomes embroiled in a murder mystery. While photographing a couple in a park, he notices something suspicious in the background of one of his shots and later develops the film. After realizing that he may have captured evidence of a crime, he begins to obsessively search for meaning in the grainy prints. As his search intensifies, he becomes increasingly paranoid and isolated, until the mystery is eventually resolved. The film is an exploration of modern life and its discontents, as well as a meditation on the nature of reality and perception.

From Wayne Wang, starring Harvey Keitel, William Hurt, Giancarlo Esposito, José Zúñiga
Rated R

From Oliver Stone, starring James Woods, Jim Belushi, Michael Murphy, John Savage
Rated R

From Andrew Levitas, starring Akiko Iwase, Kogarashi Wakasugi, Johnny Depp, Katherine Jenkins
Rated R

From Ben Stiller, starring Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig, Jon Daly, Kathryn Hahn
Rated PG

From Mike Nichols, starring Natalie Portman, Jude Law, Clive Owen, Julia Roberts
Rated R

From John Curran, starring Mia Wasikowska, Adam Driver, Lily Pearl, Philip Dodd
Rated PG-13

From Clint Eastwood, starring Ryan Phillippe, Barry Pepper, Joseph Cross, Jesse Bradford
Rated R

From François Ozon, starring Melvil Poupaud, Jeanne Moreau, Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, Daniel Duval
Rated Unrated

From Élie Chouraqui, starring Andie MacDowell, Scott Anton, Elias Koteas, Brendan Gleeson
Rated R

From Peter Weir, starring Mel Gibson, Sigourney Weaver, Linda Hunt, Bembol Roco
Rated PG

From Erik Poppe, starring Juliette Binoche, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Lauryn Canny, Adrianna Cramer Curtis
Rated Not Rated

From David Slade, starring Patrick Wilson, Elliot Page, Sandra Oh, Odessa Rae
Rated R

From Roger Spottiswoode, starring Nick Nolte, Ed Harris, Gene Hackman, Joanna Cassidy
Rated R

From Steven Silver, starring Ryan Phillippe, Malin Akerman, Taylor Kitsch, Neels van Jaarsveld
Rated R

From Ritesh Batra, starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Sanya Malhotra, Sachin Khedekar, Denzil Smith
Rated PG-13

From Mark Romanek, starring Robin Williams, Connie Nielsen, Michael Vartan, Dylan Smith
Rated R