In the Beginning Was the Image

This documentary paints a fascinating portrait of Peter Whitehead, whose largely obscure yet important body of cinematic work from the 1960s and '70s includes The Fall (1969), a film that tracks the era's social and political unrest. After chronicling the frenetic lives of counterculture icons such as the Rolling Stones and Allen Ginsberg, Whitehead set his camera aside, quietly living out his life as a potter, writer and falconer.

Directed by Paul Cronin, In the Beginning Was the Image leans on a strong ensemble — Peter Whitehead — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about documentary titles of 2006.