Pirelli’s Famous Calendar Does Away with Makeup and Retouching in 2017

“A cry against the terror of perfection and youth.” That’s how photographer Peter Lindbergh describes the 2017 Pirelli calendar he was asked to create. Once synonymous with nude supermodels, the 2017 calendar instead oozes class, raw emotion, and women’s empowerment.

In case you didn’t see last year’s calendar, Pirelli made a major change in 2016, moving away from the softcore porn high fashion nude and semi-nude images the calendar had become known for and in a totally different, more modern direction. No longer could the calendar be accused of objectifying women, instead it would seek to empowered them.

“[My aim was] not to shoot a calendar about perfect bodies but to capture sensitivity and emotion,” explains Lindberg, speaking about this year’s calendar. “Laying bare the souls of the women in the images, rendering them more naked that a nude.”

This year, the calendar features all powerhouse actresses—from Uma Thurman, to Helen Mirren, to Nicole Kidman—photographed in Berlin, Los Angeles, New York, London and the French beach of Le Touquet. And for the first time ever, the extended behind the scenes “making of” video is being release to the public.

At the top, you get to see Peter at work, hear the actresses’ take on the calendar and its theme, and see some of the resulting images previewed for you on the small screen. Since you can’t just buy the Pirelli calendar off the shelf at your local book store, this is one of the best ways to see the 2017 calendar for yourself.

To learn more about the Pirelli calendar or see other photos from this year’s 44th edition, head over to Pirelli’s website by clicking here.