Acclaimed documentary cinematographer
Kirsten Johnson has spent her entire career
behind the camera, unseen but ever present,
making decisions to frame a shot in a certain
way in “Pray the Devil Back to Hell,” or to
zoom in on a subject at a particular moment in
“Citizenfour” or “Fahrenheit 9/11.” For “Cameraperson,”
Johnson assembled footage from
her 25-year career to create a visual memoir
collage that raises complicated questions
about the nature and ethics of documentary
filmmaking. While filming a Bosnian toddler
who is trying to play with an ax, Johnson is
heard muttering a terrified “Oh Jesus!” when
his hands get perilously close to the blade—
but she doesn’t interfere. She records what
happens, good or bad. The balance between
compassionately telling the stories of others
and becoming part of the stories is explored
with bracing intensity and insight in one of
the year’s most buzzed-about films.
In Person:
Director Kirsten Johnson.