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A vivid, filmic depiction of the dramatic life of pioneering street photographer, Fred Stein. The Nazi menace in 1933 forced him to flee to Paris, where he learned photography. The camera inspired him, and he walked the streets, capturing images of timeless beauty. But when the war came, he had to flee across the embattled countryside, in a narrow escape.
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Out of Exile: The Photography of Fred Stein is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, and Vizio.
About the Show
A vivid, filmic documentary about the dramatic life of pioneering street photographer, Fred Stein.
In 1933, Fred Stein is forced to flee from the Nazi menace in Germany. In Paris he finds himself in a vibrant émigré community. He learns photography to support himself. But in one of those twists of fate, it seems made for him; the camera opens up a new world. He explores the streets of Paris, seeing everything with new eyes. He captures moments of remarkable spontaneity and connection. The photographs are beautiful, and timeless.
Then war is declared between France and Germany, and he is imprisoned in an internment camp. As the German army advances, he manages to escape, and steals across the war-torn countryside, hiding in fields and farmhouses, until he reaches Marseilles. There, after a difficult and dangerous wait, he manages to get on one of the last boats to leave France.
In New York, he continues his photography. Despite the persecution he underwent, his photographs radiate tolerance, hope and joy. Several montages of photographs are woven through the film; these are the heart of the film; Fred Stein's vision. The most famous photo is a portrait of Albert Einstein, which was the product of a humorous encounter.
He died young, and his name was forgotten; but his son embarks on a journey to rescue his name from obscurity, so that his photographs will live on. It is an incredible body of work, and an inspiring life.
