Finding Vivian Maier

{{Infobox film

| name = Finding Vivian Maier

| image = Finding Vivian Maier cover.png

| alt =

| caption = Promotional poster

| director = {{Plainlist|

John Maloof
Charlie Siskel}}

| producer = {{Plainlist|

John Maloof
Charlie Siskel}}

| screenplay = {{Plainlist|

John Maloof
Charlie Siskel}}

| narrator = John Maloof

| starring = {{Plainlist|

| music = J. Ralph

| cinematography = John Maloof

| editing = Aaron Wickenden

| studio = Ravine Pictures

| distributor = IFC Films

| released = {{Film date|2013|09|09|TIFF|2014|03|28|United States}}

| runtime = 84 minutes{{cite web | url=http://bbfc.co.uk/releases/finding-vivian-maier-film | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141025165557/http://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/finding-vivian-maier-film | url-status=dead | archive-date=October 25, 2014 | title=Finding Vivian Maier (12A) | work=British Board of Film Classification | date=June 25, 2014 | accessdate=February 21, 2015}}

| country = United States

| language = {{Plainlist|

English
French}}

| budget =

| gross = $2.2 million{{cite web|url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=findingvivianmaier.htm|title=Finding Vivian Maier (2014) - Box Office Mojo|publisher=}}

}}

Finding Vivian Maier is a 2013 American documentary film about the photographer Vivian Maier, written, directed, and produced by John Maloof and Charlie Siskel, and executive produced by Jeff Garlin."[https://variety.com/2014/film/news/finding-vivian-maier-reveals-life-of-mysterious-street-photographer-1201145184/ ‘Finding Vivian Maier’ Reveals Life of Mysterious Street Photographer]", Variety (magazine). Accessed 7 August 2014."[http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/03/31/candid-camera-2 Candid Camera]", The New Yorker. Accessed 7 August 2014."[http://www.villagevoice.com/2014-03-26/film/finding-vivian-maier-documentary/ Finding Vivian Maier Is a Fascinating Tale of the Street Photographer] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140804131738/http://www.villagevoice.com/2014-03-26/film/finding-vivian-maier-documentary/ |date=August 4, 2014 }}", The Village Voice. Accessed 7 August 2014."[https://www.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303725404579461170488341910 Nanny Strangest: On "Finding Vivian Maier"]", The Wall Street Journal. Accessed 7 August 2014."[https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/23/movies/a-documentary-looks-at-the-photographer-vivian-maier.html A Mystery Woman’s Eye on the World: A Documentary Looks at the Photographer Vivian Maier]", The New York Times. Accessed 7 August 2014.

Synopsis

Maier was a French-American woman who worked most of her life as a nanny and housekeeper to a multitude of Chicago families. She carried a camera everywhere she went,{{cite web|url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2015/01/16/finding_vivian_maier_nominated_for_best_documentary_it_was_one_of_the_worst.html|title=Vivian Maier's Photographs Are Stunning. But the Oscar-Nominated Movie About Her Is a Mess.|first=Dana|last=Stevens|date=January 16, 2015|website=Slate.com|accessdate=September 17, 2017}} but Maier's photographic legacy was largely unknown during her lifetime. She died in 2009.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/jul/17/finding-vivian-maier-documentary-review|title=Finding Vivian Maier review – fascinating study of a brilliant undiscovered talent|first=Peter|last=Bradshaw|date=July 17, 2014|website=Theguardian.com=|accessdate=September 17, 2017}}

The film documents how Maloof discovered her work and, after her death, uncovered her life through interviews with people who knew her. Maloof had purchased a box of photo negatives at a 2007 Chicago auction, then scanned the images and put them on the Internet. News articles began to come out about Maier and a Kickstarter campaign for the documentary was soon underway (one also using her home movies, audio recordings and other archival materials)."[https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/28/movies/finding-vivian-maier-explores-a-mysterious-photographer.html The Nanny as Sphinx, Weaving Enigmatic Magic on the Sly]", The New York Times. Accessed 19 August 2015.

Interviews

Reception

=Critical response=

Finding Vivian Maier has an approval rating of 95% on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 100 reviews, and an average rating of 7.50/10. The website's critical consensus states, "Narratively gripping, visually striking, and ultimately thought-provoking, Finding Vivian Maier shines an overdue spotlight on its subject's long-hidden brilliance".{{Cite web | url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/finding_vivian_maier | title=Finding Vivian Maier | website=Rotten Tomatoes }} It also has a score of 75 out of 100 on Metacritic, based on 27 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.{{Cite web | url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/finding-vivian-maier | title=Finding Vivian Maier | website=Metacritic }}

The film had its world premiere at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival on 9 September 2013.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/awards-and-festivals/tiff/new-doc-exposes-photo-snapping-nanny-vivian-maier/article14173322/|title=New doc exposes photo-snapping nanny Vivian Maier|access-date=2018-01-27}} It was shown in cinemas, and was released on DVD in November 2014.{{cite news | url = https://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/nov/15/finding-vivian-maier-review | date = 19 November 2014 | accessdate = 6 February 2015 | first = Charlie | last = Lyne | newspaper = The Guardian | title = Finding Vivian Maier out now on DVD}} Upon release, the film received critical acclaim,{{Citation|title=Finding Vivian Maier|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/finding_vivian_maier/|language=en|accessdate=2018-01-27}} and won various awards, and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature at the 87th Academy Awards.{{cite web|url=http://www.out.com/entertainment/popnography/2015/01/15/lgbt-oscar-nominations-imitation-game-meryl-streep-still-alice-|title=2015 Oscar Nominations: Imitation Game, Meryl Streep, Still Alice & More|work=Out Magazine| date=January 15, 2015 }}

=Accolades=

2014: Best Documentary Feature, Alaska Airlines Audience Award, Portland International Film Festival."[http://newsroom.nwfilm.org/2014/03/05/announcing-the-37th-portland-international-film-festivals-alaska-airlines-audience-awards/ Announcing The 37th Portland International Film Festival’s Alaska Airlines Audience Awards] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140828232029/http://newsroom.nwfilm.org/2014/03/05/announcing-the-37th-portland-international-film-festivals-alaska-airlines-audience-awards/ |date=August 28, 2014 }}", Northwest Film Center. Accessed 7 August 2014.
2014: Best New Director Award, Alaska Airlines Audience Award, Portland International Film Festival.
2014: Founders Prize for Best Documentary, Traverse City Film Festival."[http://www.traversecityfilmfest.org/tcff10-award-winners/ TCFF10 Award Winners]", Traverse City Film Festival. Accessed 7 August 2014.
2014: Won (tied with The Overnighters by Jesse Moss) Grand Jury Prize, Knight Documentary Competition, Miami International Film Festival."[http://miamifilmfestival.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/exposing-vivian-maiers-secret-life-and.html Exposing Vivian Maier's Secret Life and Private Passion]", Miami International Film Festival. Accessed 7 August 2014.
2014: John Schlesinger Award for Outstanding First Feature, Palm Springs International Film Festival."[http://www.psfilmfest.org/festival/news/detail.aspx?NID=380&FID=70&year=2014 25th Palm Springs International Film Festival Announces Festival Winners] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808080654/http://www.psfilmfest.org/festival/news/detail.aspx?NID=380&FID=70&year=2014 |date=August 8, 2014 }}", Palm Springs International Film Society. Accessed 7 August 2014."[https://variety.com/2014/film/news/broken-circle-breakdown-finding-vivian-maier-among-palm-springs-film-fest-winners-1201047242/ ‘Broken Circle Breakdown,’ ‘Finding Vivian Maier’ Among Palm Springs Film Fest Winners]", Variety (magazine). Accessed 7 August 2014.
2014: Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature at the 87th Academy Awards.{{cite news|author=Variety Staff|accessdate=2018-08-29|title=Oscar Winners 2015: Complete List|url=https://variety.com/2015/film/news/oscar-winners-2015-academy-award-winner-list-1201439020/|newspaper=Variety|date=23 February 2015}}{{cite news|first1=Kat|last1=Brown|accessdate=2018-08-29|title=Oscars 2015 winners list in full|journal=Daily Telegraph|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/oscars/11420116/oscars-2015-winners-list.html|date=23 February 2015|issn=0307-1235|via=www.telegraph.co.uk}}{{cite news|accessdate=2018-08-29|title=Oscars 2015: Winners list|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-30835975|newspaper=BBC News|date=23 February 2015}}
2014: Nominated for Best Documentary Screenplay from the Writers Guild of America.{{cite web|title=WGA Noms for "Vivian Maier," "Red Army"|url=http://realscreen.com/2015/01/07/wga-noms-for-vivian-maier-red-army/|website=realscreen.com|publisher=Realscreen|accessdate=17 February 2019}}

References

External links

{{Official website|www.findingvivianmaier.com}}
{{IMDb title|2714900}}
{{mojo title|findingvivianmaier}}
{{rotten-tomatoes|finding_vivian_maier}}
{{Metacritic film}}
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6R4cc7yhtQ Maloof and Siskel interviewed by David Poland about Finding Vivian Maier] (36 minute video)

Category:2013 films

Category:2010s biographical films

Category:2013 documentary films

Category:American biographical films

Category:American documentary films

Category:American independent films

Category:Documentary films about Chicago

Category:Documentary films about photographers

Category:Documentary films about women in the United States

Category:Films set in Chicago

Category:Films shot in Chicago

Category:Kickstarter-funded documentaries