The September Issue

The September Issue is a 2009 American documentary film directed by R. J. Cutler. The film centers on editor-in-chief Anna Wintour and the editorial team at American Vogue as they prepare the magazine’s September 2007 issue, at the time the most significant and voluminous edition in its history. The documentary offers a behind-the-scenes look at the fashion industry, focusing on the relationship between Wintour and longtime creative director Grace Coddington, as well as the editorial decisions that shaped the issue.

The film premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival and was subsequently screened at several international festivals, including Zurich Film Festival, Silverdocs, and Sheffield DocFest. It was released theatrically in Australia on August 20, 2009, and in select theaters in the United States on August 28, 2009, by Roadside Attractions. It received generally favorable reviews from critics and grossed approximately $7.1 million worldwide.

At the 14th Satellite Awards, the film was nominated for Best Documentary Film. It also received nominations from the Dallas–Fort Worth Film Critics Association and the Sundance Film Festival, and won recognition for its cinematography by Robert Richman at the latter.