Naked Ambition

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Naked Ambition

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1h 13m

Documentary

Biography

History

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9 Reviews

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Fewer than 50 Ratings

Bunny Yeager, once heralded as the world's prettiest photographer, had a huge influence on 20th-century pop culture though few people know her name. Whether by popularizing the bikini, helping discover Bettie Page, shaping the image of Playboy, or inventing the selfie, Bunny was a trailblazer whose work bucked against conservative 1950s America and helped pave the way for the feminist movement and the sexual revolution. Yet the very changes she helped usher in would soon render her a forgotten relic... until now. Featuring Dita Von Teese, Bruce Weber, and Larry King's last film appearance, Naked Ambition is a rediscovery of a brilliant and talented forgotten artist.

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Eileen G'Sell

Hyperallergic

“Naked Ambition” is compelling when it examines how [Bunny] Yeager’s ebullient photographic approach to female nudity was matched by her rejection of midcentury conservatism.

Sep 24, 2025

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Patrick McDonald

HollywoodChicago.com

The way the film is built thematically is through a woman’s point of view … cultural observers and photographer Bunny Yeager's daughters weigh in on what she meant to loosening standards and feminism, which begs the question "What Hath Nudies Wrought?"

Rated: 3.5/5

Sep 17, 2025

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Chelsea Alexandra

MovieJawn

Naked Ambition celebrates a woman who broke barriers in the world of photography, capturing beauty and sexuality on her own terms during a period of strict conservatism, when female desire was largely suppressed or defined by male perspectives.

Sep 12, 2025

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Terry Sherwood

Film Threat

At 85, Yeager lived to see her work rediscovered and reassessed by new generations. Naked Ambition makes clear why this rediscovery matters: she set a template for so much that followed, often without receiving the recognition she deserved.

Rated: 9/10

Sep 12, 2025

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Todd Jorgenson

Cinemalogue

Although it lacks depth and focus in stretches, this portrait offers some compelling context through which to view Yeager’s career. But primarily, it persuasively shapes her legacy as a pioneer.

Sep 12, 2025

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Mark Dujsik

Mark Reviews Movies

[T]he filmmakers don't even seem to have noticed the possibilities of the narrative that's right in front of them.

Rated: 1.5/4

Sep 12, 2025

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Stephen C

Real footage in 1 hour and 13 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The USA grossed over $2,300.00!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dubbed and subtitled in worldwide studios!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/19/25

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Dennis Scholl

Director

Kareem Tabsch

Director

Dita Von Teese

Self

Larry King

Self

Bruce Weber

Self

Konstantia Kontaxis

Producer

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Naked Ambition: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Bunny Yeager, once heralded as the world's prettiest photographer, had a huge influence on 20th-century pop culture though few people know her name. Whether by popularizing the bikini, helping discover Bettie Page, shaping the image of Playboy, or inventing the selfie, Bunny was a trailblazer whose work bucked against conservative 1950s America and helped pave the way for the feminist movement and the sexual revolution. Yet the very changes she helped usher in would soon render her a forgotten relic... until now. Featuring Dita Von Teese, Bruce Weber, and Larry King's last film appearance, Naked Ambition is a rediscovery of a brilliant and talented forgotten artist.

Director: Dennis Scholl, Kareem Tabsch
Producer: Konstantia Kontaxis, Dennis Scholl, Kareem Tabsch
Distributor: Music Box Films
Production Co: Trojan Horse, Scholl Creative
Genre: Documentary, Biography, History
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 12, 2025, Limited
Box Office (Gross USA): $2.3K
Runtime: 1h 13m