Ron Howard's Avedon documentary premieres at Cannes
Ron Howard's documentary 'Avedon (2026)' premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on May 17. Co-produced by the Richard Avedon Foundation and Imagine Documentaries, the film draws extensively from Helen Whitney's earlier PBS documentary 'Richard Avedon: Darkness and Light'. New interviews include Avedon's son John, Lauren Hutton, Isabella Rossellini, Twyla Tharp, Tina Brown, and John Lahr. Larry Gagosian reveals that 'Dovima with Elephants' sold for $2 million. The documentary highlights Avedon's ability to capture personality against white backgrounds, featuring subjects like Ronald Reagan and Audrey Hepburn. It addresses criticism of Avedon as a 'show-biz moralist' and his role in elevating photography's status in the art world. The film omits discussion of Avedon's bisexuality, contested by the foundation. Avedon's work at Harper's Bazaar and The New Yorker is explored, showing his influence on fashion and celebrity photography. The Cannes Film Festival runs until May 23.
Key facts
- Documentary 'Avedon (2026)' premiered at Cannes on May 17
- Directed by Ron Howard and co-produced by Richard Avedon Foundation and Imagine Documentaries
- Draws from Helen Whitney's PBS documentary 'Richard Avedon: Darkness and Light'
- New interviews include John Avedon, Lauren Hutton, Isabella Rossellini, Twyla Tharp, Tina Brown, John Lahr
- Larry Gagosian states 'Dovima with Elephants' sold for $2 million
- Avedon's bisexuality is omitted; foundation contested Norma Stevens' book
- Film covers Avedon's work at Harper's Bazaar and The New Yorker
- Cannes Film Festival continues until May 23
Entities
Artists
- Richard Avedon
- Ron Howard
- Helen Whitney
- John Avedon
- Lauren Hutton
- Isabella Rossellini
- Twyla Tharp
- Tina Brown
- John Lahr
- Larry Gagosian
- Wallis Simpson
- Prince Edward
- Ronald Reagan
- Audrey Hepburn
- Andy Warhol
- Joe Dallesandro
- Candy Darling
- Norma Stevens
- Barack Obama
- Cat Power
- Twiggy
- Jean Pigozzi
- Eddie Mitsou
- Michael Avedon
- Matthew Avedon
- Caroline Avedon
- Natasha Lyonne
- Rosemarie Dewitt
- Graydon Carter
- Alexander Klabin
- John Beckett
- Jonathan Beckett
- Courtney Kivowitz
- Sara Bernstein
- Darcie Reisler
- Dallas Rexer
- Chris St. John
- Justin Wilkes
- Gabriel Florenz
- Kelsey Fields
- Daniel Paik
- Marilyn Monroe
- Charlie Chaplin
- Brooke Shields
- Truman Capote
- Louis Armstrong
Institutions
- Imagine Documentaries
- Imagine Entertainment
- Apple Corps
- Polygram
- Decca
- Sony Music Entertainment
- Richard Avedon Foundation
- PBS
- American Masters
- The New Yorker
- Harper's Bazaar
- New York Review of Books
- Cannes Film Festival
- Fifth Season
- Burgess
- Ancient
- CULTURED
- Calvin Klein
- National Gallery of Art
- New Yorker
- Young Men's Hebrew Association
- San Francisco Chronicle
- Hollywood Reporter
Locations
- Cannes
- France
- Paris
- Cirque d'Hiver
- New York
- Mediterranean Sea
- New York City
- Kansas
- Washington, D.C.
- Texas
- United States