Storytellers often tell their own histories, so it’s no surprise that the majority of stories of labor both historical and fictional, remain mostly white and mostly male with women in the workforce often being overlooked. This International Women’s Month, we’re putting a spotlight on the workers who form the backbone of our labor force. From personal stories of a career behind the camera to new independent voices in international cinema to filmmaking legends taking on a musical and a shiny new restoration from London’s underground ’80s art scene, this series features unique cinematic visions from directors around the world that give a new meaning to what is, “women’s work.”

“Cameraperson makes a strong argument to assert the person behind the camera — who they are, how they live, and how they interact with others as a crucial focal point in the process of filmmaking. It shouldn’t be a novel idea, but in the diversity-starved, non-inclusive world of Hollywood, it’s certainly radical.”—Katie Walsh, IndieWire

A boxing match in Brooklyn; life in postwar Bosnia and Herzegovina; the daily routine of a Nigerian midwife; an intimate family moment at home: these scenes and others are woven into Cameraperson, a tapestry of footage collected over the twenty-five-year career of documentary cinematographer Kirsten Johnson. Through a series of episodic juxtapositions, Johnson explores the relationships between image makers and their subjects, the tension between the objectivity and intervention of the camera, and the complex interaction of unfiltered reality and crafted narrative. A hybrid work that combines documentary, autobiography, and ethical inquiry, Cameraperson is both a moving glimpse into one filmmaker’s personal journey and a thoughtful examination of what it means to train a camera on the world.