Art & Culture

Life through a lens

Nicole Kidman, New York, 2003

A documentary film about the life and work of the iconic American photographer - directed by her sister, Barbara Leibovitz - gives a unique insight into one of the world’s most celebrated portrait photographers.

Almost as famous as the people she photographs, Leibovitz captures her subjects – from Demi Moore and Nicole Kidman to the George W Bush cabinet – with often theatrical or provocative imagination, her work regularly adorning the covers of Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair and the New Yorker since the early 80s.

Annie’s own life has been private and protected, but this documentary feature follows Annie Leibovitz’s career for more than 30 years, reflecting on the influence of her relationship with partner Susan Sontag, and featuring interviews with Hillary Rodham Clinton, Whoopi Goldberg, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Yoko Ono, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Anna Wintour.

Brad Pitt, Las Vegas, 1994

Leibovitz has also recorded the horrors of war in Rwanda and Sarajevo. *

The film Leibovitz: Life Through a Lens is showing until 16 Mar 2008 at the ICA, London cinema. For full details see www.ica.org.uk

Vanity Fair Portraits: Photographs 1913–2008 can also be seen at The National Portrait Gallery, Wolfson Gallery, London as part of a showcasing of 150 portraits including classic images from Vanity Fair magazine. Until 26 May 2008. See www.npg,org,uk for full details.

Hollywood Cover for Vanity Fair by Annie Leibovitz, April 2001 (L-R: Nicole Kidman, Catherine Deneuve, Meryl Streep, Gwyneth Paltrow, Cate Blanchett, Vanessa Redgrave, Kate Winslet, Chloë Sevigny, Sophia Loren and Penelope Cruz)

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