Netflix Documentary 'The New Yorker at 100' Offers Inside Look at Iconic Magazine
The Netflix documentary 'The New Yorker at 100,' directed by Marshall Curry, presents a year-long, inside look at the magazine's operation and culture. Narrated by Julianne Moore, the film features appearances by Jesse Eisenberg, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Molly Ringwald discussing Roz Chast's cartoons.
The documentary follows art editor Françoise Mouly and captures plans for the centennial February 2025 issue cover. It traces The New Yorker's evolution from its Mad-era roots to becoming a premier journalism institution, highlighting landmark works such as John Hersey's "Hiroshima," James Baldwin’s 1962 "Letter from the Region of My Mind," and Truman Capote’s "In Cold Blood," which led to The New Yorker's emphasis on fact-checking.
Core elements of the magazine’s identity showcased include its meticulous fact-checking process, typographic style, and reader letters. The film acknowledges concerns about the magazine’s future under editor David Remnick, aged 67, and notes a Condé Nast union dispute that included the firing of four staff members who were union members.
It also references tensions such as a veteran fact-checker leaving amid debates over Israel-Gaza coverage, though Curry stated he did not observe overt strife during filming. The documentary frames The New Yorker as a handcrafted, high-end publication with about 1.25 million subscribers, aiming to serve devoted readers rather than seeking mass appeal. It premiered at Telluride and is now available on Netflix.
