We’ve always wondered what was lurking behind Gregory Crewdson’s eerie and arresting photographs, and now thanks to filmmaker Ben Shapiro, the veil has been lifted. Filmed over the course of a decade, Gregory Crewdson: Brief Encounters primarily focuses on the Brooklyn-born artist’s thought and production process during the shooting of his acclaimed series Beneath the Roses. The 50-photograph project, shot between 2002 and 2008, consists of meticulously crafted images exploring alienation in small-town America. Featuring candid commentary by Crewdson alongside interviews with Rick Moody, Russell Banks, and Laurie Simmons, the film develops a ruminative portrait of a man compelled to tell and re-tell his defining story. Crewdson fans and those fascinated with the creative process should find solace in Shapiro’s engaging documentary.

Gregory Crewdson: Brief Encounters Trailer from Benjamin Shapiro on Vimeo.

Gregory Crewdson: Brief Encounters is a Zeitgeist Films release.

(Originally appeared on Flavorpill.com in November 2012)