Skip to main content
John Singer Sargent: Fashion & Swagger film image; cameraman filming a painted portrait

John Singer Sargent: Fashion & Swagger

Portraits

This event has passed

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

Director
Credits
Country of Origin

UK

Year

2024

Language

English

Film Contact
Links
Content Warning

Nudity

G

Open to youth!

93 min
Art, Music & Photography Documentary
Exhibition on Screen, Seventh Art Productions

Book Tickets

This event has passed.

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 headshot; John Singer Sargent: Fashion & Swagger director

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

Yasha
Yasha film image; woman with a bloody nose

Yasha

Dir. Naghi Nemati
88 min

Yasha follows Hana, a young teacher in desperate need of money for her son's life-saving operation. Sidestepping melodrama, Naghi Nemati offers a compelling portrait of a strong woman fighting against impossible odds.

International Village 10

Everytime

Dir. Sandra Wollner
123 min

Winner of this year’s prestigious Un Certain Regard award at Cannes, Sandra Wollner’s exquisite debut is a tender drama in which a mother is drawn closer to her youngest daughter and her late daughter’s boyfriend as they make sense of a shared tragedy.

Image: © The Barricades Panama Film, Gregory Oke

Fifth Avenue Cinema - 19+ only
Le Bonheur
Le Bonheur film image; two people standing by a table with a giant vase of flowers

Le Bonheur

Dir. Agnès Varda
80 min

Often called the most beautiful horror film, Le Bonheur contrasts stunning French summer beauty with emotional devastation. Beneath its idyllic surface lies betrayal and heartbreak, culminating in a shocking finale and powerful feminist commentary.

The Cinematheque
Short Forum 10: Are the Kids Alright?
Skinny Bottines film image; woman pointing at something

Short Forum 10: Are the Kids Alright?

106 min

The future kinda depends on it.

International Village 8

Roid

Dir. Mejbaur Rahman Sumon
109 min

Roid follows Sadhu, a solitary man who marries a mysterious young woman from a distant village. But when her behaviour disrupts the quiet rhythm of Sadhu's life, he decides to abandon her — only for her to reappear, again and again.

VIFF Centre - VIFF Cinema

The Guest

Dir. Mads Mengel
100 min

This drama explores the conflict between a son and his mentally ill mother, who unexpectedly shows up at his child’s christening party. Full of vivid performances and desperate catharses, The Guest takes us to the point of explosion and beyond.

Image: © Henrik Ohsten

International Village 9