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Zimbelism

Zimbelism is a feature documentary about the work of humanist photographer GeorgeS. Zimbel. At 89 Zimbel is one of the last working elders of street photography. A wonderful storyteller, his tales from the darkroom recall shoots with JFK, Marilyn Monroe, Harry Truman, the real Mad Men of Madison Avenue and a David and Goliath rights battle with his beloved New York Times. It’s a photographic voyage through the back half of the 20th century, an honest and touching view of the human experience.

  • Matt Zimbel, Jean Francois Gratton
    Director
    see bio
  • Matt Zimbel, Jean Francois Gratton
    Writer
    see bio
  • Matt Zimbel, Jean Francois Gratton, Fredric Bohbot
    Producer
    see bio
  • George Zimbel
    Key Cast
    "Subject"
  • Elaine Zimbel
    Key Cast
    "Subject"
  • Vicki Goldberg
    Key Cast
    "Photographic Critic NY Times"
  • Ann Tucker
    Key Cast
    "Photographic Curator"
  • Stephen Bulger
    Key Cast
    "Photographic Art Dealer"
  • Josep Monzo
    Key Cast
    "Photographic Curator"
  • Diane Charboneau
    Key Cast
    "Photographic Curator"
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 29 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    April 30, 2016
  • Production Budget:
    275,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Canada
  • Country of Filming:
    Canada, Spain, United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Hot Docs
    Toronto
    Canada
    June 10, 2016
    Premiere
    Official Selection Top 20 Audience
  • Festival International des film sur les Art (FIFA)
    Montreal
    Canada
    March 10, 2016
    North American Premiere
    OFFICIAL SELECTION
  • Salem Documentary Festival
    Salem, Mass.
    United States
    March 4, 2017
    United States Premiere
    OFFICIAL SELECTION
  • Shanghai International Film Festival
    Shanghai
    China
    June 17, 2016
    Asian Premiere
    OFFICIAL SELECTION
  • Beijing International Film Festival
    Beijing
    Canada
    May 13, 2017
    OFFICIAL SELECTION
  • Barcelona DART Festival
    Barcelona
    Spain
    December 2, 2017
    Spanish Premiere
    OFFICIAL SELECTION
  • Raindance Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
    September 29, 2018
    UK Premiere
    OFFICIAL SELECTION
Distribution Information
  • National Film Board of Canada (World), Gravitas (US), Bunbury Films (Canada)
    Country: Canada
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Matt Zimbel, Jean Francois Gratton

JEAN-FRANÇOIS GRATTON | DIRECTOR | DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY

One of Montreal’s most respected still photographers, JF Gratton has been celebrated by his peers with prizes throughout Canada and the United States. (14 Grands Prix Lux, 2 Prix du PCM artisan photographe, 1 Grand Prix Créativité, Prix Grafika, Prix Applied Arts de Toronto, Prix PDN de New York). He has photographed campaigns for major clients such as Air Canada, Pratt and Whitney, Cirque du Soliel, Volkswagen and Bombardier. JF Gratton was the DOP and a member of the creative team on the innovative Artv interview program Cabine C. He is also one of the founders of one of Montreal’s most respected photo-collectives Shoot3. He is George Zimbel’s personal choice for director and DOP.

MATT ZIMBEL | DIRECTOR | WRITER

Producer, writer, creative director and musician, Matt Zimbel’s projects have varied from being vice president of Quebec’s music TV channel MusiMax to creating the award winning political “uncoverage” for MuchMusic in the 1990’s. He has produced and written numerous television programs and documentaries including My Messy Bedroom, Posthumous Pickle Party, Scars and Secret Language of Girls. His band, Manteca, has recorded 11 records and toured the world sharing stages with Miles Davis, Weather Report and Ella. Matt Zimbel is also an artistic director of large scale shows, the most recent of which was Canada Day on Parliament Hill 2011 which holds the record for the highest attendance in the history of the event. In 2015 he was the Senior International Broadcast Producer of the Pan Am Games opening ceremony with Cirque du Soleil . He is currently producing 12 x 30 min comedy specials for Netflix.

He is George Zimbel’s eldest son.

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