Fascinating documentary sheds light on the talented but elusive street photographer Vivian Maier

THIS absorbing documentary unravels the mystery behind one of the most significant street photographers of the 20th century.

Proof positive of a real talent

THIS absorbing documentary unravels the mystery behind one of the most significant street photographers of the 20th century.

Documentary aficionados must make a point of tracking down this absorbing production in its limited run this month.

This is the story of Vivian Maier, one of the most significant street photographers of the 20th century.

What is truly remarkable about this pathologically shy recluse — who worked almost her entire life as a children’s nanny — is that she died without even one of her stunning images ever seeing the light of day.

It was only upon the recent discovery of over 100,000 negatives in a storage locker that Maier’s astonishing body of work found its rightful acclaim.

Vivian Maier street photograph. Picture: Vendetta Films

One of the co-directors of the documentary, a young art historian, John Maloof, happened upon Maier’s photographs by chance after winning a box of her material at a blind auction in 2007.

One would think that in the age of the internet, getting to the bottom of the mystery of Maier — and just as importantly, how she came to perform such magic work with a beaten-up old camera — would be an achievable task.

However, it appears that Maier spent just as much time covering her tracks through life as she did peering through a viewfinder.

Maloof turned detective and combed the whole of the United States in search of the elusive source of those incredible pictures.

It was all to no avail, as it came to light much later that Maier had died alone and unrecognised in 2009.

An example of Vivian Maier’s work. Picture: Vendetta Films

The filmmakers have done a grand job of tracking down everyone who crossed paths with Maier, and their stories piece together a compelling portrait of a unique and vital talent.

Many of them were small children who spent a considerable amount of time accompanying Maier on her secret assignments.

Her behaviour at the time is so vividly engraved upon the memories of her former charges that you can’t help but mourn the fact Vivian Maier passed away without ever knowing what she had accomplished.

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FINDING VIVIAN MAIER [M]

Rating: 4/5

Directors: John Maloof, Charlie Siskel

Starring: John Maloof, Mary Ellen Mark, Phil Donahue

“Every 100,000 pictures tell a story”

Originally published as Fascinating documentary sheds light on the talented but elusive street photographer Vivian Maier