Released in 1966, Michelangelo Antonioni’s film is a world-renowned masterpiece of cinema. Based on a short story by Julio Cortázar, Blow-Up was the brilliant director’s first production set and filmed outside of his homeland. He swapped Italy for England, or more specifically London, which at that time was a blossoming center of youth culture and art, including photography. The protagonist is in fact a photographer, on the one hand working with models on photo shoots for fashion magazines, and on the other observing and documenting the everyday life of his fellow Londoners. One of these observations sets the plot in motion: as he develops his film and blows up the prints he makes an intriguing discovery; he’s unable to leave the matter alone. Especially when one of the people he’s photographed demands the negative from him. Antonioni explores a multitude of themes in his film: from existential issues to the reflections on self that are crucial to the film’s significance. The final scene of Blow-Up is one of the most famous in the history of cinema. Also worth noting are the brilliant performances by David Hemmings and Vanessa Redgrave, both of whom were launched by the film toward great careers.