The True Story Behind Peter Hujar’s Day

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On December 19, 1974, writer Linda Rosenkrantz documented a detailed account from her friend, renowned photographer Peter Hujar, about everything he had done the previous day, capturing his recollections while they were still vivid.

The author of Talk, a book featuring conversations with friends in the Hamptons, originally intended to write a book based on her conversation with Hujar, focusing on the daily routines of famous individuals.

Although the planned book never materialized, their conversation was published in 2021 as Peter Hujar’s Day. Now, a film adaptation of the same name is being released in theaters on November 7th. Directed by Ira Sachs and starring Ben Whishaw as Hujar and Rebecca Hall as Rosenkrantz, the film brings the transcribed conversation to life, showing Hujar and Rosenkrantz relaxing and talking in Rosenkrantz’s Manhattan apartment, and cooking and smoking on the roof.

According to Rosenkrantz, a friend of the late photographer, Hujar would likely be happy with the recognition he’s receiving now. She believes he always knew his work was good and anticipated becoming well-known, though perhaps not to this degree. She shared this in a recent phone call, adding that while the extent of his fame might surprise him, it wouldn’t be a complete shock.

This covers the photographer behind the film and how it portrays being an artist in New York City during the 1970s.

Who was Peter Hujar?

As a huge photography buff, I’ve always been fascinated by Peter Hujar. He really captured a moment in time – the 70s and 80s in New York City – with these incredible black and white photos. You can see the influence of photographers like Richard Avedon and Diane Arbus in his work, and he, in turn, really impacted artists like Robert Mapplethorpe and Nan Goldin. What I find most compelling is that his photos documented the vibrant queer scene and the artistic energy of downtown Manhattan during such a pivotal period – everything from the Stonewall riots to the heartbreaking beginning of the AIDS crisis. He wasn’t just taking pictures; he was documenting history.

As a total film and art geek, I find Hujar’s connections fascinating. He wasn’t just taking pictures, he was hanging out with the likes of Andy Warhol and Susan Sontag – real icons, and he considered them close friends. His one published book, Portraits in Life and Death from 1976, is really something else. He’d put photos of the people he knew alongside these incredibly stark images of ancient corpses he photographed in the catacombs of Palermo. It’s a powerful contrast, and really makes you think.

Hujar died of AIDS-related complications in 1987 at the age of 53.

How Peter Hujar’s Day became a movie

I was fascinated to learn that in her mid-80s, Rosenkrantz unexpectedly found a typed-up record of a conversation she’d had with Hujar about his day on December 18th, 1974. It was like uncovering a little piece of film history!

She gave it to the Morgan Library & Museum in New York City, where Hujar’s papers, prints, and photos are kept. The Morgan had already showcased Hujar’s work in 2018, leading to renewed attention, and in 2021, Rosenkrantz’s typed account of their conversation was published as “Peter Hujar’s Day,” almost fifty years after it originally took place.

While filming Passages in Paris, director Ira Sachs discovered the book at a local queer bookstore called Les Mots à la Bouche. He then approached his film’s co-star, Ben Whishaw—who owns a 1980 self-portrait of Hujar—and asked if he’d be interested in collaborating on a movie adaptation, as reported by the New York Times.

What to know about Peter Hujar’s Day (2025)

This film doesn’t follow a traditional story structure, especially not the kind you’d expect from a Hollywood movie. There’s no big climax, dramatic reveal, or important news – it’s simply a photographer recounting a day in his life to a friend. The entire film consists of just two people, Rosenkrantz and Hujar, talking for 76 minutes, with no other significant characters.

You know, watching the movie, Rosenkrantz really hit a nerve with me when she admitted she loves hearing about what other people do with their days, because she feels like she doesn’t really do much herself. It totally resonated – Hujar, another character, expressed the exact same feeling, saying he often feels like his days just slip away and he’s basically wasted another one. It’s a surprisingly relatable sentiment, honestly!

Those who enjoy sleeping in might be amused to learn that on December 18, 1974, Hujar didn’t get out of bed until almost noon. Despite the late start, he still managed to do 27 pushups and photograph Allen Ginsberg for the New York Times. However, he found Ginsberg difficult to work with and was unhappy with the resulting photos, feeling they lacked a connection. He even wondered if the pictures would have been better if Ginsberg had been attracted to him. The film also reveals Hujar’s social circle, with anecdotes about friends like curator Vince Aletti – who once asked to shower at Hujar’s apartment, bringing his own shampoo and hair dryer – and name-dropping other prominent figures in the New York City arts and literary scene.

As someone who also tries to create, I really connected with how Hujar described his process. He talked about needing time to truly see what he was doing, even just standing and staring until he really knew it – and finding that enjoyable! It struck me because it’s so true. He was also struggling to quit smoking, which I could relate to. His partner, Rosenkrantz, gently pointed out how that energy could be better spent, and he completely agreed, admitting he didn’t even feel good, like he had a constant smoker’s hangover. It felt very honest and vulnerable.

The movie doesn’t perfectly recreate what happened in 1974. Because the filmmaker only had a written record of the conversation, they had freedom to imagine the characters’ actions. Rosenkrantz points out that she wasn’t actually lying in bed talking to Hujar, and they definitely didn’t start dancing during the conversation, despite what the movie shows.

One of the things I really loved learning about Rosenkrantz and Hujar was how they genuinely enjoyed life together – nights out dancing, even ice skating! Rosenkrantz described feeling deeply connected to Hujar, almost experiencing his emotions with him. He was a playful guy, always asking, “Are we having fun yet?” And honestly, that spirit is what I think this film really captures – a beautiful look at how to nurture those incredibly close, intimate friendships that mean so much.

Rosenkrantz emphasizes that the film portrays a genuine connection between two people – a gay man and a straight woman. She believes the most compelling aspect of the film is its depiction of closeness. Considering how much communication happens online today, she points out that the 1970s art world felt like a tight-knit community, and she encourages audiences watching in 2025 to prioritize building and nurturing meaningful friendships of their own.

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2025-11-07 17:07