A Portrait of Jacob
54min, HD 16:9
In 1970 at the age of 24, Jacob Holdt left for America with $40 in his pocket and not much else. He lived there for six years without any income whatsoever. Hitchhiking 161,265 km through 48 states and taking over 15,000 photographs on a cheap half frame camera, he bargained his way into President Nixon’s headquarters with as much ease as he became an inhabitant of some of the nation’s toughest ghettos. This film focuses on the stories and images Jacob has collected, in a measured and reflective wander through the fantastical tales of a man who allowed the world to accommodate him. The film premiered at The Photographers Gallery London in 2008 and has since been shown in festivals throughout Europe.