A new HBO Original documentary film aims to lift some of the mysticism and explore the backstory of supermodel Donyale Luna, the first Black model to grace the cover of both Harper’s Bazaar (1965) and Vogue (1966).
Directed by Nailah Jefferson and produced by former UPTOWN Editor-in-Chief Isoul H. Harris and former UPTOWN Creative Director Melissa Kramer, DONYALE LUNA: SUPERMODEL chronicles the life and career of Luna, from breaking barriers in the fashion industry to challenging beauty ideals while influencing 1960s and early ’70s culture.
Despite Luna having a body of work that is comparable to the other supermodels of her era and collaborating with the most acclaimed fashion photographers of the 20th Century, not much is known about the woman who was born Peggy Ann Freeman in Detroit. And that’s exactly how she wanted it, crafting a mysterious otherworldly persona complete with an exotic accent. “Echoing Luna’s unique style, the film highlights the story of someone who refused to be boxed in by the conventions of the time, and who had great wounds from her difficult childhood and the racism she encountered in her profession,” according to a release. Luna, who died at age 33, worked with Richard Avedon, Andy Warhol, and Salvador Dalí, as well as explored avant-garde theater and film.
Luna’s husband Luigi Cazzaniga and daughter Dream Cazzaniga are joined by supermodels Beverly Johnson and Pat Cleveland; Vogue global Editor-at-Large Hamish Bowles; photographers David Bailey, David McCabe, and Gideon Lewin; fashion designers Zandra Rhodes and Aurora James; art history professor, Dr. Richard J. Powell; former Essence editor-in-chief, Constance White; former president of Next Model MGMT, Kyle Hagler; and friends and family members to explain Luna’s influence on the fashion and art world in the 1960s. “In revealing moments in the film, Luna’s daughter Dream Cazzaniga reads from Luna’s journals and a poetic portrait emerges of one of the first Black models to change the beauty paradigm, breaking down the doors of the white modeling world, inspiring generations to come, and leaving a far-reaching legacy,” according to a release.
DONYALE LUNA: SUPERMODEL was produced by Harris, Kramer, and Melanie Sharee, and executive produced by Jonathan Chinn, Simon Chinn, Jeff Friday, and Dream Cazzaniga. HBO executive producers include Nancy Abraham and Lisa Heller, and Anna Klein was supervising producer.
The veil over Donyale Luna will be lifted on September 13 on HBO at 9 pm, and the film will also stream on Max.
