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The First Monday in May

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The First Monday in May
Directed byAndrew Rossi
Produced by
Music by
Distributed byMagnolia Pictures
Release date
  • April 13, 2016 (2016-04-13)
Running time
90 minutes
CountryUnited States

The First Monday in May is a 2016 documentary film directed by Andrew Rossi and produced by Fabiola Beracasa Beckman, Dawn Ostroff, and Sylvana Ward Durrett.[1] The film chronicles the conception and execution of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s 2015 exhibition China: Through the Looking Glass, curated by Andrew Bolton. Framed around the planning of the annual Met Gala, the documentary explores the intersection of fashion, art, and cultural politics as the exhibition becomes the most attended fashion show in the museum’s history.[1][2][3][4]

The film premiered as the opening night selection of the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival and was released theatrically in the United States by Magnolia Pictures on April 15, 2016.[5] It received generally favorable reviews from critics, who praised its access and visual style, though some questioned its critical distance from its subjects.

Plot

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The documentary chronicles a year of planning for the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s 2015 exhibition China: Through the Looking Glass, as well as the annual Met Gala that accompanied its opening.[5][6] Conceived by Andrew Bolton, head curator of the Costume Institute, in collaboration with Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour, the exhibition featured over 150 garments from 40 designers, exploring the influence of Chinese aesthetics on Western fashion.[7][1] The Met Gala, organized in tandem with the exhibit, serves as the Costume Institute’s primary fundraising event and generates millions in annual revenue.[8][9] The film also offers behind-the-scenes insight into Wintour’s role in shaping the gala while raising questions about the legitimacy of fashion as a form of art. As of 2016, China: Through the Looking Glass ranked as the Costume Institute’s most visited exhibition and one of the most attended shows in the museum’s history.[1][7]

Cast

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Release

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The First Monday in May premiered on April 13, 2016, as the opening night selection of the 2016 Tribeca Festival.[2]

Following its festival debut, the film was released theatrically in the United States on April 15, 2016, by Magnolia Pictures. It became available for digital purchase and rental on platforms such as Amazon Prime Video and ITunes on May 3, 2016, and was subsequently released on DVD and Blu-ray on August 9, 2016.[3]

In May 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Magnolia Pictures announced that all net proceeds from the film's digital rentals and sales during that month would be donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and A Common Thread, a joint initiative by Vogue and the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) aimed at supporting individuals in the fashion industry affected by the pandemic.[10]

Reception

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Critical response

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The First Monday in May received generally favorable reviews from critics, though some noted its lack of critical distance from its subjects. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 77% based on 60 reviews, with an average rating of 6.6/10. The site's critical consensus reads: "The First Monday in May may not resonate far beyond its target demographic, but for fashion aficionados, it should prove utterly absorbing."[11] On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 57 out of 100, based on 19 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews."[12]

Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian awarded the film two out of five stars, describing it as "glossy, but frankly somewhat saucer-eyed." He criticized the documentary for its lack of critical analysis, stating that "there is obviously a huge amount of status envy going on; the film does not care to break that down too thoroughly."[13]

Conversely, Wendy Ide of The Observer gave the film four out of five stars, praising Anna Wintour's compelling presence and the film's insight into the meticulous planning behind the Met Gala.[14]

Mark Dujsik, writing for RogerEbert.com, gave the film two stars, noting that while it introduces the debate about fashion's status as art, it ultimately prioritizes showcasing the spectacle over exploring this theme in depth.[15]

Kate Lloyd of Time Out also awarded the film four out of five stars, highlighting its captivating access to the event. She pointed out the film's exploration of cultural appropriation, noting that many of the featured designs were by Western designers inspired by a "fantasy" of Chinese culture.[16]

Kimber Myers of IndieWire commented that while the film attempts to address issues such as cultural sensitivity and Orientalism, it "never really fully explores the topics it raises," instead offering a "glossy surface" view of the Met Gala and the Anna Wintour Costume Center.[17]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Jocelyn Noveck (April 25, 2016). "Met curator Andrew Bolton, quiet defender of fashion as art". The State. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  2. ^ a b John Powers (April 13, 2016). "Andrew Rossi's Documentary About the Met Gala, The First Monday in May, Premiers Tonight at the Tribeca Film Festival". Vogue. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  3. ^ a b Patricia Garcia (February 22, 2016). "First Monday in May: Watch the Trailer for the New Met Gala Documentary". Vogue. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  4. ^ Noel Murray (April 14, 2016). "'The First Monday in May' gets lost in the Met amid several story lines". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  5. ^ a b Cox, Gordon (22 February 2016). "Tribeca Film Festival to Open With Met Museum Documentary 'The First Monday in May'". Variety. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  6. ^ Brian Brooks (April 16, 2016). "Andrew Rossi's 'The First Monday In May' Provides Access To Exclusive Bash - Tribeca Studio". Deadline. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  7. ^ a b Fernandez, Chantal (April 14, 2016). "Andrew Bolton is the Heart of 'The First Monday in May' Met Gala Documentary". Fashionista. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  8. ^ Katie Van Syckle (April 14, 2016). "Tribeca Kicks Off With Anna Wintour Met Gala Documentary 'The First Monday in May'". Variety. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  9. ^ Frank Scheck (April 13, 2016). "'The First Monday in May': Tribeca Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  10. ^ Murphy, Mekado (22 February 2016). "Tribeca Film Festival Opening With Look at Met's Costume Show". New York Times. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  11. ^ "The First Monday in May". rottentomatoes.com. Fandango Media. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  12. ^ "The First Monday in May". Metacritic. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  13. ^ Bradshaw, Peter (29 September 2016). "The First Monday in May review – saucer-eyed fashion documentary". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 14 September 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  14. ^ Ide, Wendy (2 October 2016). "The First Monday in May review – a sharp look inside the Met Gala". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 14 September 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  15. ^ Dujisk, Mark (15 April 2016). "The First Monday in May". rogerebert.com. Archived from the original on 14 September 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  16. ^ Lloyd, Kate (26 September 2016). "The First Monday in May". timeout.com. Time Out. Archived from the original on 14 September 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
  17. ^ Myers, Kimber (14 April 2016). "Tribeca Review: Documentary 'The First Monday in May' Explores Art & Fashion With Anna Wintour And Andrew Bolton". indiewire.com. IndieWire. Archived from the original on 14 September 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
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