Queen Elizabeth II may have passed late last year, but she will never be forgotten—being one of the most closely observed and heavily documented people ever to walk the earth. But among the plethora of documentaries and biographies, a new film stands out, having taken a decidedly different angle. That film is Portrait of the Queen, and it’s in cinemas now.
Directed by award-winning photographer Fabrizio Ferri and based on the book Elisabetta II: Ritratto di Regina by Paola Calvett, Portrait of the Queen escapes the standard biographical documentary framework by looking at Queen Elizabeth II’s life through the eyes of the countless photographers who took her portrait over the course of her 70 year reign. In that regard, it’s more a look at the historical image of the Queen, and how that has changed over the decades. We’re treated to literally thousands of images of the royal personage, as well as interviews with many of the artists who created them.
Legendary British actor Charles Dance (Game of Thrones, The Last Action Hero) is on hand to guide us on our journey. Interview subjects include photographers Brian Aris, Jason Bell, Julian Calder, Chris Levine, David Montgomery, and John Swannell, plus Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts Emma Blau, fashion designer Pierpaolo Piccioli, and actors Isabella Rossellini and Susan Sarandon. A beautiful original score by pianist and composer Remo Anzovino ties the whole thing together in suitable regal style.
For royal watchers, Portrait of the Queen is, of course, a must-see. For those of us with a more, shall we say, complicated relationship with the House of Windsor, this is nonetheless a fascinating look at one of the key figures in modern history, and the way our perceptions of the famous are mediated by art.
