I Am Martin Parr

I Am Martin Parr offers an intimate portrait of one of England’s most distinctive and influential photographers. Since the 1970s, Martin Parr has held up a lens—by turns tender, critical and mischievous—to the everyday rituals of modern life, revealing how consumer culture has shaped who we are. His bold compositions, saturated colours and unflinching eye have made him a defining voice in contemporary photography.

The film takes viewers on a personal road trip across England with Parr himself, uncovering the stories, instincts and obsessions behind some of the most recognisable images of the past century. Known for his satirical and anthropological approach, Parr documented the nuances of English social classes and, more broadly, the contradictions of Western affluence.

Across a prolific career, Parr produced landmark series including Rural Communities (1975–1982), The Last Resort (1983–1985), The Cost of Living (1987–1989), Small World (1987–1994) and Common Sense (1995–1999). A member of Magnum Photos since 1994, he published around 60 solo photobooks and exhibited internationally, from the touring show ParrWorld to a major retrospective at London’s Barbican in 2002.

In 2017, the Martin Parr Foundation opened in his hometown of Bristol, preserving his personal archive and his extensive collection of British and Irish photography, while serving as a gallery and hub for the next generation of image-makers.