Canadian Premiere
The latest in the popular Exhibition on Screen series, John Singer Sargent: Fashion & Swagger provides new insight into one of America’s most beloved painters. Known for his incandescent portraits of the upper echelons of high society, Sargent possessed the ability to capture the essence and soul of a person, producing some of the most memorable portraits ever created. Filmed in conjunction with twin blockbuster shows at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and the Tate Gallery in London, this allows a detailed look at his masterworks alongside the wardrobes that have been preserved, allowing us to see how Sargent rendered each fold and gather with his brushstrokes.
The film also highlights other important aspects of his work, like his large-scale murals in Boston, and explores his artistic influences, placing his painting within the context of art history and haute couture. Director David Bickerstaff gathers art historians, curators, artists, and fashion experts to illuminate the intersection of art, fashion, and society, and invites us to arrive at a new appreciation for this master of portraiture and light.
Sept 28 & 30: Q&A with producer Phil Grabsky
Presented by
Media Partner
UK
2024
English
Nudity
Open to youth!
Book Tickets
Indigenous & Community Access
Indigenous Access Tickets Community Access Tickets Ticket Donation Requests
Credits & Director
Executive Producer
Phil Grabsky
Producer
Phil Grabsky
Screenwriter
David Bickerstaff, Phil Grabsky
Cinematography
David Bickerstaff, Joshua Csehak, Phil Grabsky, Hugh Hood
Editor
David Bickerstaff
Original Music
Asa Bennett
David Bickerstaff
David Bickerstaff is an artist, award-winning filmmaker, and BAFTA member who founded AtomicTV in 1997. His work has been showcased internationally at venues like the Wellcome Collection and the documentary fortnight at the Museum of Modern Art New York. He directs short artist documentaries for Art360 Foundation and collaborates with producer Phil Grabsky at Exhibition on Screen, creating acclaimed features on artists like Van Gogh and Michelangelo. As Creative Director at NewAngle Productions, David designs video installations for institutions including the Royal Collection Trust and the British Museum.
Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre
Our Mr. Matsura
Part of the first wave of Japanese immigrants to the United States, Frank Matsura's photographs in Okanogan County created a regional legacy that endures a century later. Our Mr. Matsura is a joyful celebration of life revealed through photography.
Farruquito: a Flamenco Dynasty
Legendary flamenco dancer Farruquito struggles to reconcile his past with his family legacy. Revelling in the artistry of Romani music and dance, Farruquito: A Flamenco Dynasty explores family dynamics and the pursuit of greatness.
All the Lovers in the Night
A lonely proofreader's isolated world begins to open through an unlikely friendship with a gentle physics teacher. Based on Mieko Kawakami's acclaimed novel, this luminous drama is a delicate meditation on loneliness, intimacy, and self-discovery.
Pocket Mirror
Lonely, isolated, and haunted by the possibility her cat has been replaced with a replica, Maisie’s closest confidant is an AI chatbot. Pocket Mirror is a striking distillation of modern alienation with wry humour and underlying suspense.
Light Pillar
Xu Zao’s mellow, melancholy film follows a bottom-tier employee at a decaying film studio as he gets pulled into an online obsession. Mixing animation with live action, this is a whimsical satire and a lament for the pre-digital world.
Short Forum 4: Immanence: A Life
You don’t have to look far; life is beautiful!