With a voice that stood out for its personal, innovative approach to film, and incisive, eye-opening opinions that often strongly differed from those of her peers and readers, Pauline Kael was a force of nature. As film critic for The New Yorker from 1968 to 1991, her controversial opinions made her a divisive personality, but her writing nevertheless had a monumental influence on film criticism and American culture at large. To this day, she is quoted as an inspiration to many, pioneering a critical style that is still widely influential.

2019 marks Pauline Kael’s centenary, and what better way to honor her extraordinary life than through the art form she loved with such fervor? In this fantastic documentary, we take a peek into not only 20th century movie culture through her writing, but are also shown Pauline’s life through the very movies she wrote about so passionately. Featuring new interviews with Paul Schrader, David Edelstein, David O. Russell, Quentin Tarantino, and Alec Baldwin, and with Sarah Jessica Parker lending her voice to read Kael’s personal writings and letters, What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael is a remarkable love letter to one of the most influential voices of American film writing in the 20th century.