BLOW-UP Cinema's Legacy

AFI FEST is proud to present Michelangelo Antonioni’s first film in English. “Swinging London” fashion photographer Thomas (David Hemmings) becomes bored at a shoot and walks off to the park, where he takes pictures of two lovers. Later, when he develops the film, he realizes he might have photographed a murder. Featuring music from Herbie Hancock and appearances by The Yardbirds, BLOW-UP remains an emblematic film of 1960s counterculture. Winner of the Palme d’Or at the 1967 Cannes Film Festival, Antonioni’s depiction of a man’s mechanical connection to reality influenced a generation of filmmakers, including Francis Ford Coppola and Brian De Palma. The film is considered by many to be his masterpiece. Special thanks to The Criterion Collection, Cineteca di Bologna and Istituto Luce Cinecittà, in collaboration with Warner Bros. and Park Circus, for this new DCP restoration. – Sudeep Sharma