Henri Cartier Bresson: The Impassioned Eye 2006

When Cartier-Bresson died last year, he was mourned as the "father of photojournalism" and one of the greatest photographers ever. He believed in seizing the decisive moment and editing in camera, producing snapshots that were consistently stunning compositions. This documentary focuses primarily on his work from the 1940s to the 1960s, a period when he witnessed key international events like the liberation of Paris and the death of Gandhi. It also spotlights his revealing portraits of a wide range of icons and celebrities, from Marilyn Monroe to Henri Matisse. Although Cartier-Bresson was camera-shy himself, the film captures him leafing through his prints as well as his collection of sketches and vivid and intimate portrait illustrates why the peripatetic photographer was such a supremely accomplished artist.