Art Paul of Playboy: The Man Behind the Bunny

For its first 30 years of publication, Playboy magazine’s eye-popping design and illustrations were the work of Art Paul, the graphic artist and trendsetter whose sketch of the iconic tuxedoed bunny came to define the brand. As Playboy’s founding art director, Paul’s visionary ideas and dedication to creative freedom were radical in the conservative 1950s, mixing fine art and pop art, and even experimenting with interactive graphics. Prolific in multiple art forms until his passing in 2018 at age 93, Paul was a renaissance man who, at the height of his influence, commissioned works from the likes of Andy Warhol and Salvador Dalí. Director Jian Ping’s exuberant and heartfelt documentary peels back the curtain on the unsung innovator and visual architect of a national institution, whose creative contributions not only elevated the magazine’s caliber and reputation but helped usher in a new cultural revolution. (Mill Valley Film Festival)