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Loving Vincent

Ajyal Competition

Synopsis

In the history of modern art, few artists hold such a significant place as the Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh – and fewer still are so representative of the idea of the tortured artist. Hugely prolific – he produced about 2,100 works of art in a mere 10 years – only one of his paintings sold in his lifetime, which ended with his tragic death in 1890 at the age of 37. He was troubled by depression and the trauma of being perceived as a failure; yet in the early 20th century, his work was recognised as that of a genius and he has since become known as an important contributor to contemporary artistry.

‘Loving Vincent’ explores the latter years of Van Gogh’s life via the structure of a detective story, as Armand, the son of Poulin the postman (whom the artist painted many times) attempts to deliver Vincent’s final letter – the last of many – to his beloved brother Theo. Armand’s search leads him to those who were close to Vincent, and he uncovers the mysterious circumstances surrounding the painter’s death. The film has been eagerly anticipated for some years – it is the first-ever fully painted animated film. Executed in a series of 65,000 oil paintings, each mimicking Van Gogh’s signature style, it is an ethereal, breathtaking experience.

Official Film Website

About the Directors

Dorota Kobiela is a graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. She has directed the short films 'The Hart in Hand' (2006), 'The Letter' (2004), 'Love Me' (2004), 'Mr.Bear' (2005), ‘Chopin's Drawings’ (2011) and ‘Little Postman’ (2011). Her first feature-length film, 'Loving Vincent', combines her passion for painting and film.

Hugh Welchman studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford before attending the National Film and Television School in London. He has produced short films including 'The Clap' and 'The Most Beautiful Man in the World', which was nominated for Best Short Film at the 2003 BAFTAs. In 2006, together with Suzie Templeton, Welchman won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film for his work on 'Peter and the Wolf' (2006).

Credits

Director

Dorota Kobiela, Hugh Welchman

Screenwriter

Dorota Kobiela, Hugh Welchman

Producer

Hugh Welchman, Sean Bobbitt, Ivan Mactaggart

Editor

Justyna Wierszynska, Dorota Kobiela

Executive Producer

David Parfitt, Charlotte Ubben,

Composer

Clint Mansell

Co-Producer

Trademark Films

Cinematographer

Tristan Oliver, Lukasz Zal

Production Company

BreakThru Films

Sound

Michal Jankowski, Michal Fojcik

Distributor

Front Row Filmed Entertainment

Cast

Douglas Booth, Robert Gulaczyk, Eleanor Tomlinson, Saoirse Ronan, Jerome Flynn, Chris O'Dowd, John Sessions, Aidan Turner

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