Richard Avedon’s photographs did not just reflect the culture of the 20th century; they shaped it. From fashion to portraiture to commercial work, he used the camera to explore identity, power, fear and beauty.
Ron Howard’s documentary Avedon has unprecedented access to the photographer’s archive, including unseen photographs and behind-the-scenes recordings. It plays in selected UK cinemas from Friday and arrives on Netflix on 11 November.
Every frame of Avedon’s work looks extraordinary on a big screen, and Howard knows it.
Movie at a Glance
- UK release: In selected cinemas from Friday 6 November 2026; on Netflix from 11 November 2026
- US release: Limited cinemas from Friday 6 November 2026; on Netflix from 11 November 2026
- Director: Ron Howard
- Featuring: Richard Avedon, Adam Gopnik, Joel Meyerowitz and Samira Nasr
- Certificate: 12A (UK)
- Runtime: 104 minutes
- Genre: Documentary
Viewer Match
- Best for: Anyone interested in photography, fashion and 20th-century culture.
- Maybe skip if: You want a documentary that interrogates its subject.
- Mood and pace: Elegant, admiring and visually rich.
- Cinema or streaming? Either. The cinema shows off the photographs; Netflix is only five days later.
- Spoiler level: Spoiler-free.
Into the Archive
The film’s great asset is the material. Howard draws on never-before-seen photographs, recordings and interviews with those who knew Avedon best, and the images are breathtaking.
We previewed it in our Avedon trailer post.
An Admiring Portrait
Howard is a fan, and it shows. The film is strong on how Avedon worked and why his images mattered, and it moves gracefully between fashion and his more confrontational portraits.
It is a handsome, accessible introduction for anyone who knows the pictures but not the man.
Playing It Safe
It is also a little reverent. The film rarely pushes on the harder questions about Avedon’s relationships with his subjects, and it can feel like an authorised tribute.
That does not spoil the pleasure, but it does limit the depth.
Where to Watch
See it in a cinema this weekend or wait for Netflix next week. For more, see this week’s Weekly Cinema Pack, Weekly Streaming Highlights and What to Watch Tonight.
Spoiler-Free Verdict
Avedon is a beautiful, accessible portrait of a great photographer, rich with unseen material. It is more celebration than investigation, but the images alone make it worth your time.
- Performances: 7/10
- Direction: 7.5/10
- Screenplay: 6.5/10
- Score: 7/10
- Cinematography: 8.5/10
- Entertainment Value: 7/10
- Overall score: 7/10
Star rating: 3.5/5
Verdict badge: One for Fans
One-line verdict: A handsome, admiring documentary with breathtaking images.
Watch the Official Trailer
Watch the official trailer from Netflix.
Which Richard Avedon photograph has stayed with you? Tell us.