Fans of Vincent van Gogh are in for a treat when Loving Vincent, the world’s first fully-painted feature film, screens at the Parrish Art Museum in Water Mill on Friday, April 19.
The Academy Award nominated animated biographical drama, which won the European Film Award for Best Animated Feature, explores the life of van Gogh and his controversial death through the artist’s works and the subjects within them. Loving Vincent boasts over 65,000 hand-painted oils created by 125 artists from around the globe.
“I’m pleased to show this stunning thriller that will leave the audience feeling as if a Van Gogh painting has come to life to tell a provocative story about the artist’s death,” said Corinne Erni, Senior Curator of ArtsReach and Special Projects.
To create Loving Vincent, a live action film with actors that include Saiorse Ronan, Douglas Booth, and Jerome Flynn was shot. Then, each frame was hand-painted in oils. On average, each canvas was re-painted 76 times to depict the shifting backgrounds, facial expressions, and motion.
“A long and arduous labor of love by Dorota Kobiela and Hugh Welchman, this film turns van Gogh’s work into an unusual kind of biopic,” A.O. Scott of The New York Times said in a review, while Jeffrey M. Anderson of Common Sense Media lauded, “This seven-years-in-the-making effort is often breathtakingly beautiful.”
Offering a unique perspective, the film revolves around Armand Roulin, the son of a close friend of the artist, who is tasked with delivering the final letter van Gogh penned to his brother, Theo. Upon discovering that Theo too has died, Armand decides to dig into the truth about van Gogh’s death. His exploration leads to encounters with several close to the artist, including van Gogh’s physician, Dr. Gachet, Gachet’s daughter, Marguerite, and the keeper of the inn where van Gogh visited.
Admission is $15 and the event will take place from 6 to 8 p.m.
Parrish Art Museum is located at 279 Montauk Highway in Water Mill. For more information, call 631-283-2118 or visit parrishart.org.