Film on the life of Lee Miller, one of the greatest photographers of the 20th century, arrives in Italy

The film chronicling the life of Lee Miller (Elizabeth (Lee) Miller, Poughkeepsie, New York, 1907 - Chiddingly, 1977), among the greatest photographers of the twentieth century, will be released in Italian cinemas on March 13, 2025.

Directed by Ellen Kuras, an award-winning cinematographer making her directorial debut here, the dramatic, biographical film Lee Miller had its world premiere in 2023 at the Toronto International Film Festival. The screenplay is written by Liz Hannah, Marion Hume and John Collee, while producers include Troy Lum, Andrew Mason, Kate Winslet and Kate Solomon. It is distributed by Vertice360.

Based on the book The Many Lives of Lee Miller, a biography written by the photographer’s son Antony Penrose, the film recounts the biographical events of Miller, who began working as a model from the age of nineteen for Vogue magazine, thus entering to the world of fashion, and then in 1944 decided to switch to the other side of the lens by becoming a freelance photographer, also for Vogue, and to shoot uncensored war reportage with Time and Life magazine photographer David E. Scherman as an accredited correspondent for the U.S. military. She was the only woman photographer to document the liberation of the Dachau and Buchenwald concentration camps by the Allies, denouncing through her work the tragedy of the Holocaust, the horror and brutal reality of war, and the first photojournalist to go with colleague David Scherman to Hitler’s apartment in Munich, where she took the very famous photo in the Führer’s bathtub.

Playing Lee Miller in the film is Kate Winslet (for this role she was nominated for the 2025 Golden Globes for best actress in a drama), but the cast includes Alexander Skarsgård (Roland Penrose), Josh O’Connor (Antony Penrose), Andy Samberg (David E. Sherman), Marion Cotillard (Solange D’Ayen) and Andrea Riseborough (Audrey Withers).

“This film was written by a woman, the production side is composed mainly of women, and the direction is also by a woman. She possesses the integrity and insights that only a woman could bring. Wisely, the film does not set out to be a biopic, but the highlights of Lee’s life that present his personality were selected, and that’s the aspect I really appreciate,” said Antony Penrose, son of Lee Miller and Roland Penrose, in an exclusive interview with Vertice360. “The film is not about the drama of Lee’s life, it’s about her inner life, how she felt, what kept her going and what led her to put herself in these sometimes terribly dangerous situations. I think this aspect is important because I don’t want Lee to appear as someone driven by thrill-seeking, who doesn’t care about anyone but herself. What we see, because of the way she is presented in the film, is a woman who cares about things deeply and passionately. And this is her driving force, this is what drives her to put herself in the most frightening situations, because she is concerned about what is happening around her, her friends and the people she loves. So, this key makes the film well done. You will see an exciting story, and I think this is the most significant part.”

Below are some scenes from the film (Photo: Summit360)

Film on the life of Lee Miller, one of the greatest photographers of the 20th century, arrives in Italy

Warning: the translation into English of the original Italian article was created using automatic tools. We undertake to review all articles, but we do not guarantee the total absence of inaccuracies in the translation due to the program. You can find the original by clicking on the ITA button. If you find any mistake,please contact us.