Warren Elgort turns the camera on his father, the renowned fashion photographer Arthur Elgort, in the visually rich documentary “Arthur Elgort: Models & Muses.” It tells the story of Arthur’s candid, movement-inspired “snapshot” style, which transformed the pages of Vogue and reshaped modern fashion photography in the ’80s and ’90s.
Through rare archival footage, famous photos, and poignant interviews with the likes of Anna Wintour, André Leon Talley, Christy Turlington, Cindy Crawford, and Linda Evangelista, the film showcases the brilliance of Arthur’s work. As Warren explores the story of the man behind the camera, the film acts as both a tribute to his creative legacy and a portrait of a father seen through his son’s eyes.
The film will have its world premiere at the Hamptons International Film Festival, with screenings on October 10 and 11. A Q&A with Arthur Elgort, director Warren Elgort, and producer Emma Elgort will follow both screenings.
Warren, what was your initial inspiration for making “Arthur Elgort: Models & Muses”? Was there a particular memory or moment when you realized this documentary needed to be made?
Warren: My father is the greatest character I know, and I wanted to learn more about him. I was studying film in 2021 when he was diagnosed with lymphoma, so his deteriorating health was a time lock for completing the film. Making the documentary also became an excuse for me to spend more time with dad.
Arthur, when you first saw the film, what was your first reaction?
Arthur: I thought it was real. It shows all the models I love — famous and not famous. The film even shows me having difficulty speaking (a result of my stroke). So it felt real.
What does it feel like to see your former collaborators (models, editors, etc.) reflect on their experiences of being part of your world?
Arthur: I like them all. Polly Mellen, Grace Coddington, Anna Wintour, André Leon Talley, Sarajane Hoare. Everyone was nice to me. I chose the right thing to do. And the models too. No complaints.
Warren, how did you decide on the structure of the film — the mix of archival footage, present-day interviews, and your father’s voice?
Warren: The photographs were our north stars. His collaborators told stories about the making of their favorite Arthur Elgort photographs. We layered archival footage to support these stories, including audio tapes initially recorded for his book, “Model’s Manual.” I leaned on our editor, Anne Goursaud A.C.E., and her sophisticated palette in choosing stories which move from one to the next organically. Since the documentary is about my dad, I had unlimited access. Throughout the editorial process, I would rush home to shoot whatever we felt was missing. Then, when we were near the finish line, we returned to our north stars by adding even more personal prints and magazine tearsheets. My dad doesn’t speak as well as he once did, and he is constantly changing the subject, so editing coherent stories proved challenging. His many collaborators and family fill gaps, resulting in a storytelling mixture that feels alive and fresh.
Did you discover anything surprising about Arthur’s creative process while making this film?
Warren: He loves jazz and brings improvisation to his photography. His contact sheets and archival footage offer never-before-seen insight into his creative process. Nothing is overly premeditated. One idea leads to the next and so on until his team arrives at something unique and special. He encourages models to be themselves. Always moving. Always spontaneous. His process is full of freshness and joy of being alive. His style often leads to a lot of misses, but all it takes is one great captured moment. And he has that unique ability to put people at ease so they buy in, trust, and let loose.
What was a moment during filming where you both learned something new about each other?
Arthur: Warren is persistent, which is good. Now I hope he does a western next and not a documentary about a tennis player, but that’s my opinion. Warren could say he wants to be a documentary filmmaker all his life and he’ll starve to death.
Warren: I planned a very tidy ending, expecting my dad to tell me that he is most proud of his children. But that just isn’t the case. There’s no doubt he loves his family very much, but there’s a reason he is one of the greatest photographers ever — he loves it with all his heart.
Arthur, were there any photographs or moments you didn’t think much about at the time, but seeing them now in the film gave you a new appreciation of their significance?
Arthur: No, not that I could remember. I feel the same way I did 50 years ago when I got the chance to work for Mademoiselle Magazine. That was amazing. I like a lot of the pictures. I could do another book. So many good photographs of less famous models too, like — Susan Hess, Bonnie Berman, and Jeny Howorth — they were a big part of me. I wish they would sell more. They weren’t Linda or Christy, but they were just as important.
How do you perceive the relationship between the photographer and the subject?
Arthur: I must say everybody was very good to me. Even Naomi, especially when Azzedine Alaïa was around. I never had trouble with anybody. Maybe I talk too much sometimes, but I can’t complain. I can’t say — oh, I want to do it different — I didn’t make a mistake going into photography.
What do you hope people take away from this documentary — about art, beauty, the industry, or the personal relationship between the photographer and subject?
Arthur: Well, I think they’ll learn something. I hope they do. It’s there. Jeny, Susan Hess, the make-up artists, Sonia or Bobbi Brown. I never had trouble with anybody. I was lucky, but also, I chose the right people to collaborate with. I met model Susan Hess because she was working for Valentino. She was an ex-dancer who couldn’t do it anymore, and she was a terrific model. Bonnie Berman was working at the restaurant Mr. Chow. She was the seater. I said, “Why don’t you come up to my studio? Wear what you like and I’ll take your picture.” Bethann Hardison was her agent. Some of my best pictures are of Bonnie Berman.
Warren, visually, how did you approach the cinematography so that the film felt like a cohesive piece with his photographic style?
Warren: We approached cinematography the way Arthur Elgort photographs — natural light and with our camera constantly rolling from the time we walk in the door. Usually, with my dad’s preferred focal length of 50mm. Our crew was incredibly small, often just me with my camera and a lav mic, which helped create a relaxed vibe. Aside from one shoot at my dad’s studio, we limited crew to three people, including me.
How do you see your father-son relationship reflected in the film — both artistically and personally?
Arthur: I had a good life because I like my kids — Sophie, Warren, and Ansel — very much. I still get along with them more or less. I think now I’m a pain in the neck sometimes because cancer kind of screwed me up, but it’s still better to be alive than dead.
Warren: There’s a lot of joy in the way my father lives and interacts with his children. We are also critical of each other. I think it’s healthy because it’s not very often that a genius also has healthy, productive children. Maybe it’s because he invited us to participate in his photography. I’m blessed. Not only because I’m my father’s son, but also because I’m one of his favorite people to photograph. He’s never not taking photographs, so all of his children were basically trained from birth to be great models. He also brought me along on many of his jobs. The number of masterpieces taken by my father that I happen to be in is astounding. I probably took it for granted because it was just part of my everyday life growing up around him. Now I’m learning to really appreciate all of those experiences. He still gives me envelopes full of photographs of me whenever I see him. Photographs are amazing because when I look at them, I’m transported back to when they were taken. It’s powerful. My father is also a great mentor without directly telling anyone what to do. He leads by example — doing what he loves. It’s contagious, and then he passes me a camera. It’s clear where my love for making images and telling stories comes from.
Looking forward, do you aim for the film to expand how younger generations see fashion photography?
Warren: I expect folks will learn about my dad’s work, including his role in redefining the look of modern fashion photography. My hope is the audience will also come to love his character and be inspired by the romantic way my father sees the world.
