Last October, the film world lost to cancer one of its leading cinematographers: Harris Savides, a leading proponent of digital craft who had an eye for unfussy atmosphere. One can only imagine the triumphs Savides might have added to the roughly two decades of work he left behind at age 55. In honor of this extraordinary artist, beginning June 5, MoMA will present “Harris Savides: Visual Poet,” a film series of the honoree’s most significant accomplishments. Some titles will be introduced by their directors, including Noah Baumbach, David Fincher and Sofia Coppola. The following are some of our favorites shot by Savides.

Birth (2004)
Savides lends a potent, poetic romanticism to this tale of an upper-crust Manhattanite (Nicole Kidman) whose husband is seemingly reincarnated as a preteen boy. Stunning images abound, from the eerie opening jog through a snowy Central Park to the intensely intimate close-up in which Kidman comes to grips with her otherworldly situation. Click for showtimes.—Keith Uhlich
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