Filmmaker Charlie Siskel talks about the subject of his documentary Finding Vivian Maier - the story of a highly accomplished photographer who remained largely unknown for many years while living a low-key life working as a nanny in Chicago.
“Vivian was quite well-educated – she seems to have been self-taught – but she was very worldly, and was fully aware of what was happening in the art world and what other photographers were doing, and was very well-read,” Siskel said about what he learned about Vivian during the making of the documentary.
“We did not want to sugar coat or airbrush the story, and present Vivian as a saint – she was not – by all accounts she was not a saint. But who among us is. I think she had an incredible sense of adventure, and a sense of humor, she was playful. But I think she did seem to have some sort of a darker past, and we really don’t know the nature of it,” he said.
“There seems to be some kind of a family rift that we talk about in the film - the family was estranged from one another – and there was no contact after her childhood between Vivian and her mother and other members of the family. And she did some of the kids in a rough way.
He said he also discovered one story that stood out about something that would constitute abusive behavior, but there were other stories about kids being locked in basements with the lights turned off. “And then there was the story about a kid being hit by a bicycle, and Vivian is there taking pictures, you know, instead of coming to the kid’s aid.
“People laugh when we show it in the film, because it is funny, Siskel said, adding that “it’s funny that Vivian was there taking pictures – she knew a good story.”
Watch the full episode to hear more about the film – which is on the Oscar shortlist for Best Documentary – and also to view clips from the movie.
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