Bringemovies
← Browse Movies
Helvetica
TITLE DETAILS

Helvetica

2007-09-12 · 80 min · ★ 7.2

Documentary

Helvetica is a feature-length independent film about typography, graphic design and global visual culture. It looks at the proliferation of one typeface (which will celebrate its 50th birthday in 2007) as part of a larger conversation about the way type affects our lives. The film is an exploration of urban spaces in major cities and the type that inhabits them, and a fluid discussion with renowned designers about their work, the creative process, and the choices and aesthetics behind their use of type.

Open detail page

Trailers are previews, not full movies.

No authorized playback source configured. Use the legal watch options below.

Production details

Directors
Gary Hustwit
Production companies
Swiss Dots, Veer
Countries
United Kingdom
Status
Released

Top Cast

Michael BierutHimself
Neville BrodyHimself
David CarsonHimself
Manfred SchulzHimself
Massimo VignelliHimself
Rick PoynorHimself
Wim CrouwelHimself
Matthew CarterHimself
Alfred HoffmannHimself
Mike ParkerHimself
Otmar HoeferHimself
Bruno SteinertHimself
Hermann ZapfHimself
Leslie SavanHerself
Tobias Frere-JonesHimself
Jonathan HoeflerHimself
Erik SpiekermannHimself
Lars MüllerHimself
Paula ScherHerself
Stefan SagmeisterHimself

Title information and images are supplied by TMDb. Explore our discovery guide for advice on comparing metadata and legal viewing options.

Where to watch

Availability provided by JustWatch via TMDb. Offers can change. Provider links are listed on TMDb; full playback requires a separately authorized source.

Streaming

Criterion Channel

Rental

Amazon Video, Apple TV Store

Purchase

Amazon Video, Apple TV Store

Free

Kanopy

View authorized watch options on TMDb

Recommendations

I Am Heath Ledger
★ 7.4
I Am Heath Ledger2017Documentary

The life and career of an actor, artist, and icon. His own journey through his own camera.

Looking for Richard
★ 6.8
Looking for Richard1996Documentary

Al Pacino's deeply-felt rumination on Shakespeare's significance and relevance to the modern world through interviews and an in-depth analysis of "Richard III."

The September Issue
★ 6.6
The September Issue2009Documentary

A documentary chronicling Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour's preparations for the 2007 fall-fashion issue.

The Last Waltz
★ 7.7
The Last Waltz1978Documentary

Martin Scorsese's documentary intertwines footage from The Band's incredible farewell tour with probing backstage interviews and featured performances by Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Eric Clapton, and other rock legends.

Naqoyqatsi
★ 6.2
Naqoyqatsi2002Documentary

A visual montage portrait of our contemporary world dominated by globalized technology and violence.

Titanic: 20 Years Later with James Cameron
★ 6.6
Titanic: 20 Years Later with James Cameron2017Documentary

For the 20th anniversary of "Titanic," James Cameron reopens the file on the disaster.

For the Love of Spock
★ 7.4
For the Love of Spock2016Documentary

The life of Mr. Spock, as well as that of Leonard Nimoy, the actor who played him for almost fifty years, written and directed by his son: Adam.

Being James Bond
★ 7.8
Being James Bond2021Documentary

Daniel Craig candidly reflects on his 15 year adventure as James Bond. Including never-before-seen archival footage from Casino Royale to the upcoming 25th film No Time To Die, Craig shares his personal memories in conversation with 007 producers, Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli.

The Captains
★ 6.4
The Captains2011Documentary

The Captains is a feature-length documentary film written and directed by William Shatner. The film follows Shatner as he interviews the other actors who have portrayed starship captains in the Star Trek franchise.

David Bowie: The Last Five Years
★ 7.1
David Bowie: The Last Five Years2017Documentary

In the last five years of his life, David Bowie ended nearly a decade of silence to engage in an extraordinary burst of activity, producing two groundbreaking albums and a musical. David Bowie: The Last Five Years explores this unexpected end to a remarkable career. Made with remarkable access, Francis Whately’s documentary is a revelatory follow-up to his acclaimed 2013 documentary David Bowie: Five Years, which chronicled Bowie’s golden ‘70s and early-‘80s period.

Necessary Evil: Super-Villains of DC Comics
★ 6.8
Necessary Evil: Super-Villains of DC Comics2013Documentary

A documentary detailing the epic Rogues' Gallery of DC Comics from The Joker and Lex Luthor, Sinestro, Darkseid and more, this documentary will explore the Super Villains of DC Comics.

Daft Punk Unchained
★ 7.2
Daft Punk Unchained2015Documentary

Daft Punk Unchained is the first film about the pop culture phenomenon that is Daft Punk, the duo with 12 million albums sold worldwide and seven Grammy Awards. Throughout their career Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo have always resisted compromise and the established codes of show business. They have remained determined to maintain control of every link in the chain of their creative process. In the era of globalisation and social networks, they rarely speak in public and neither do they show their faces on TV. This documentary explores this unprecedented cultural revolution revealing a duo of artists on a permanent quest for creativity, independence and freedom.

The Show Must Go On: The Queen + Adam Lambert Story
★ 7.3
The Show Must Go On: The Queen + Adam Lambert Story2019Documentary

A documentary chronicling Queen and Lambert's incredible journey since they first shared the stage together on "American Idol" in 2009.

Audrey
★ 7.1
Audrey2020Documentary

An unprecedented and intimate look at the life, work and enduring legacy of British actress Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993).

Let It Be
★ 7.7
Let It Be1970Documentary

A documentary chronicling the Beatles' rehearsal sessions in January 1969 for their proposed "back to basics" album, "Get Back," later re-envisioned and released as "Let It Be."

National Geographic: Journey to the Edge of the Universe
★ 7.8
National Geographic: Journey to the Edge of the Universe2008Documentary

In one single, epic camera move we journey from Earth's surface to the outermost reaches of the universe on a grand tour of the cosmos, to explore newborn stars, distant planets, black holes and beyond.

Ex Libris: The New York Public Library
★ 6.4
Ex Libris: The New York Public Library2017Documentary

A documentary about how a dominant cultural and demographic institution both sustains their traditional activities and adapts to the digital revolution.

Above Majestic
★ 7.4
Above Majestic2018Documentary

A look at the origins, history and conspiracies behind the "Majestic 12", a clandestine group of military and corporate figureheads charged with reverse-engineering extraterrestrial technology.

Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound
★ 6.9
Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound2019Documentary

The history of cinematic sound, told by legendary sound designers and visionary filmmakers.

Beyond Infinity: Buzz and the Journey to Lightyear
★ 7.0
Beyond Infinity: Buzz and the Journey to Lightyear2022Documentary

Explore the evolution of Buzz Lightyear from toy to human in the making of Pixar’s Lightyear. Dive into the origin and cultural impact of everyone’s favorite Space Ranger, the art of designing a new “human Buzz,” and the challenges faced by the Lightyear crew along the way.

Similar titles

Le Corbusier, l'architecte du bonheur
★ 10.0
Le Corbusier, l'architecte du bonheur1957Documentary

Documentary devoted to the architectural and urban planning designs of Le Corbusier. The architect supports his in-depth reflection on the city and its necessary adaptation to modern life with plans, drawings and images, particularly Paris, whose revolutionary development dreamed of by Le Corbusier is exhibited here. Its first projects will remain at the stage of a model: the modernization plan for the city of Algiers. Some will be created by other architects: Ministry of Education in Rio de Janeiro, UN Palace in New York. From the post-war period in less than 10 years, Le Corbusier created large housing units in Marseille, Nantes, a chapel in Ronchamps, a factory in Saint-Dié, a town in Chandigarh in India. Through diagrams, the architect presents his theory of the "radiant city", the mathematical key modulor of his work as well as his project for reorganizing the countryside, industrial and urban cities into a grouping around a cooperative system.

Hanzi
★ 7.6
Hanzi2017Documentary

Hanzi is a documentary exploring international design, visual culture, and identity through the lens of modern Chinese typography. The film covers a variety of topics such as how languages shape identity, and what role handwriting plays in the digital age.

Endless Letterpress
Not rated
Endless Letterpress2019Documentary

Facing deteriorating machines and the advance of new technologies, Argentine printing presses are closing up their shops. A group of young designers has rediscovered this great technical innovation in the history of the written word – the typesetting printing press – but the technique is difficult to learn, passed down from master to apprentice. The last press mechanic in the country will be in charge of teaching them so that this historic technique endures.

Pressing On: The Letterpress Film
★ 6.8
Pressing On: The Letterpress Film2017Documentary

Why has letterpress printing survived? Irreplaceable knowledge of the historic craft is in danger of being lost as its caretakers age. Fascinating personalities intermix with wood, metal, and type as young printers save a traditional process in Pressing On, a 4K feature-length documentary exploring the remarkable community keeping letterpress alive.

Retratação
Not rated
Retratação2019Documentary

Fernando Lemos, a Portuguese surrealist artist, fled from dictatorship to Brazil in 1952 searching for something better. The movie follows the last moments of his journey and the struggle for the preservation of his legacy, trying to fulfill his last great desire: to be a good dead man.

POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold
★ 6.4
POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold2011Documentary

A documentary about branding, advertising and product placement that is financed and made possible by brands, advertising and product placement.

Un chico de portada: el arte de Macario Gómez
★ 7.0
Un chico de portada: el arte de Macario Gómez2012Documentary

Macario 'Mac' Gómez talks about his long career as a film poster designer.

The Light Bulb Conspiracy
★ 7.6
The Light Bulb Conspiracy2010Documentary

Once upon a time... consumer goods were built to last. Then, in the 1920’s, a group of businessmen realized that the longer their product lasted, the less money they made, thus Planned Obsolescence was born, and manufacturers have been engineering products to fail ever since. Combining investigative research and rare archive footage with analysis by those working on ways to save both the economy and the environment, this documentary charts the creation of ‘engineering to fail’, its rise to prominence and its recent fall from grace.

Das Plakat - Die Geburt der modernen Werbung
Not rated
Das Plakat - Die Geburt der modernen Werbung2018Documentary

Advertising: Colorful and projected on a large scale. The new era begins at the beginning of the 20th century in Berlin, Munich and Vienna. Lucian Bernhard, Ludwig Hohlwein and Julius Klinger put the products of industrialization in a new light: cars and cigarettes, fashion and cosmetics. The story of the three exceptional graphic artists and how their poster art revolutionized advertising.

Subvertisers for London
Not rated
Subvertisers for London2019Documentary

Advertising shits in your head. London artists are taking to the streets to reclaim public spaces and challenge passerby's to think differently about everything from capitalism to gender.

Arne Jacobsen’s Modern Denmark
Not rated
Arne Jacobsen’s Modern Denmark2021Documentary

Danish documentary about the disobedient schoolboy with a talent for painting, who became one of Denmark’s greatest architects. His ideas were ahead of their time and often received criticism, but today, 50 years after his death, Arne Jacobsen's schools, town halls and libraries are still with us, and they define modern Denmark.

Les Couturiers de l'Église
★ 8.0
Les Couturiers de l'Église2016Documentary

Poster unavailable
★ 6.0
Screenagers1967Documentary

Early 1960s documentary into the spending habit of 'screenagers' (young cinema-goers aged between 16-24). Based on Mark Abrams' 1959 report, 'The Teenage Consumer'.

Jockey, professor och folkkär målare
Not rated
Jockey, professor och folkkär målare1998Documentary

Documentary about the Swedish artist and painter Philip von Schantz.

The More We Are Together
Not rated
The More We Are Together1969Documentary

A portrait of Eric Lyons and Span, under the scrutiny of Ian Nairn, as well as the residents of their estates.

Two Types: The Faces of Britain
Not rated
Two Types: The Faces of Britain2017Documentary

We are surrounded by types, the words on signs, buses, shops and documents which guide us through our lives. Two types in particular are regarded as the faces of Britain - Johnston and Gill Sans. Their story is told by typeface expert Mark Ovenden.

Poster unavailable
★ 4.0
X-Rated: The Ads They Couldn't Show2005Documentary

Every year, thousands of commercials are made that never reach our TV screens, deemed too shocking to see. In order to make it onto the screen, they must clear all manner of obstacles, from fussy clients to obsessive regulators and restrictive rights issues. X-Rated takes a look at these outlawed pieces of advertising, revealing the most explicit, controversial and shocking ads never seen. These are ads that break all manner of taboos, from sex, violence, blasphemy, homosexuality, animal cruelty, rapping pensioners, swearing children, suicidal toys and naked athletes to Kylie in her undies on a bucking bronco. Amongst the contributors are advertising executives, producers and censors. The programme also takes a look at the embarrassing world of western celebrities in Japanese ads.

Letras que marcan
Not rated
Letras que marcan2023Documentary

Juzo Itami: The Man with 13 Faces
★ 5.0
Juzo Itami: The Man with 13 Faces2007Documentary

A documentary about the legendary Japanese filmmaker.

Graphic Means: A History of Graphic Design Production
★ 7.0
Graphic Means: A History of Graphic Design Production2017Documentary

Up until just over 30 years ago, when the desktop computer debuted, the whole design production process would have been done primarily by hand, and with the aide of analog machines. The design and print industries used a variety of ways to get type and image onto film, plates, and finally to the printed page. Graphic Means is a journey through this transformative Mad Men-era of pre-digital design production to the advent of the desktop computer. It explores the methods, tools, and evolving social roles that gave rise to the graphic design industry as we know it today.

Your favorites

Recently viewed

Watch

Choose an authorized server.

Full video from an operator-configured authorized source. Official trailers use a separate player. If a server fails, retry or select another authorized server.

Legal watch options

Official trailer

Trailer preview only. Press Play to start.

Privacy choices

Favorites stay in your browser. Movie images load from TMDb. YouTube trailers contact YouTube only after you allow external media and choose a trailer. Advertising consent, if ads are enabled, is managed separately by the operator’s certified CMP.

Privacy policy

After allowing external media, choose the trailer button to load its player.