In 1989, on the floor of Congress, Senator Jesse Helms implored America to “Look at the pictures,” while denouncing the controversial art of Robert Mapplethorpe, whose photographs pushed social boundaries with their frank depictions of nudity, sexuality and fetishism — and ignited a culture war that rages to this day.

Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures does just that, taking an unflinching, unprecedented look at Robert Mapplethorpe’s most provocative work. From acclaimed filmmakers Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, it is the first feature-length documentary about the artist since his death, and the most comprehensive film on Mapplethorpe ever.