As Rebekah Maysles, daughter of Albert Maysles and one of the producers of IRIS, recalls, “My father was always interested in making portraits of people, of them just being who they were. He really loved working with Iris. I would often stand aside and see him nudge her and say something sweet about how he really liked shooting her. I would catch him saying things to her like “were getting good stuff”- or as she was walking back to her bedroom he’d give her the thumbs up. We were a small team and liked being in each other’s company. Once we finished the final cut and all met together to watch I heard my dad say, “Iris let us know when something interesting comes up and I’ll come and film it!”
And thus, we are given one of the final gifts by the legendary Albert Maysles – IRIS.
IRIS pairs the 87-year-old Maysles with Iris Apfel, the quick-witted, flamboyantly dressed 93-year-old style maven who has had an outsized presence on the New York fashion scene for decades. More than a fashion film, the documentary is a story about creativity and how, even at Iris’ advanced age, a soaring free spirit continues to inspire. IRIS portrays a singular woman whose enthusiasm for fashion, art and people are life’s sustenance and reminds us that dressing, and indeed life, is nothing but an experiment. Despite the abundance of glamour in her current life, she continues to embrace the values and work ethic established during a middle-class Queens upbringing during the Great Depression. I feel lucky to be working. If you’re lucky enough to do something you love, everything else follows.
Magnolia Pictures will release IRIS in New York on April 29, 2015, Los Angeles May 1, 2015 and additional cities throughout May.
