Not to be confused with the Oscar winning movie of the same name, from 2001, this movie, also entitled Iris, is from the director of the cult classic documentary Grey Gardens
The big screen documentary Iris pairs the 87-year-old Albert 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.”
