Director with cameraman--Filming "Landammann Stauffacher" 1941

Curator: This gelatin silver print by Robert Frank is entitled "Director with cameraman--Filming \"Landammann Stauffacher\"" and dates to 1941. The image offers an intriguing behind-the-scenes view. Editor: My first impression is the hierarchy – the director is elevated, literally, dictating what’s seen. It's a strong visual metaphor. You can almost feel the power dynamics inherent in filmmaking, and perhaps broader society. Curator: Indeed, the photograph captures the construction of a national narrative, in this case, I believe a patriotic film called "Landammann Stauffacher," produced during a period of national anxiety as Switzerland navigated the perils of World War II. It was meant to galvanize national unity. Editor: So the act of filmmaking itself becomes a propaganda tool. It makes me wonder, what stories are being elevated? Who has control of the narrative? And what voices are being obscured by that carefully constructed national image? Curator: Exactly. And Robert Frank’s work frequently grapples with the politics of image making. In his early work, before The Americans, Frank seems very concerned with capturing these sort of candid moments behind the scenes of the process. We can also see Frank wrestling with Swiss national identity, which, as we've said, was caught in the crosshairs of the war. Editor: It makes you question the seemingly objective nature of both documentary photography and historical films. Neither is truly neutral; choices are always being made about what to show and how. This behind the scenes shot actually reveals more about the power structures than any heroic film image. Curator: I agree entirely. By framing the director and cameraman, Frank exposes the machinery, the literal construction, of historical memory and national myth. It allows us to consider the constructed nature of seemingly natural narratives, doesn't it? Editor: Absolutely. It's a powerful reminder to always look beyond the finished product and examine the structures and biases that shaped its creation, especially considering who gets to tell these stories. Curator: Precisely, I will look at film in a totally different light after this exploration of Robert Frank's picture.