Eugène ja Berenice – Pioneers of Urban Photography

French photographer Eugène Atget (1857–1927) meticulously documented turn-of-the-century Paris, revolutionizing the medium with his lucid realism. Though he is today considered a key figure in the history of photography, Atget’s work might have fallen into obscurity had it not been for another outstanding photographer, Berenice Abbott (1898–1991), who brought his work the recognition it deserved. A great admirer of his technique and vision, she was later to draw inspiration from his portrayal of Paris during her own monumental effort to capture New York City on film. The film presents Atget’s striking images along with previously unpublished archival shots of vieux Paris, and also travels back to 1930s New York. Abbott, interviewed a year before her death, discusses the unique connection between her work and Atget’s. Photographers Andrew Stevens and Anita Corbin, French artist Maria Sous and Spanish filmmaker Borja Cantera attest to the lasting influence of these two photographers on contemporary art.

Introduction by Liina Siib