This intriguing documentary explores the mystical creative outposts of the Southern California Deserts, from Leonard Knight's famous ''Salvation Mountain'' in Slab City to the famous Desert X installations of the Coachella Valley. 

The harsh beauty of California's serene deserts has long been a haven for creative thinkers, artists, and rebels. The result is a desert teeming with artistic outposts and a unique history tucked among the rocks and dust. This film is a fascinating exploration of those outposts and their inhabitants. Visit Noah Purifoy’s Outdoor Desert Art Museum in Joshua Tree, explore Leonard Knight's colorful Salvation Mountain, Ricardo Breceda's monumental iron sculptures in Borrego Springs, the famous Desert X exhibits of the Coachella Valley, and experience art on the edge of Western civilization at the Bombay Beach Biennale festival. Along the way, you'll meet the artists and residents of these enclaves unearthing a hidden world of creative and political expression. 

This documentary explores the mystical creative outposts of the Southern California Deserts, from ''Salvation Mountain'' in Slab City to the famous Desert X installations of the Coachella Valley. 


Iconicity

Benedict Cumberbatch (Dr.Strange, Sherlock) stars as Vincent Van Gogh in this captivating blend of theater and documentary.

A seamless blend of theatrical storytelling and historical insight, ''Van Gogh: Painted with Words'' reveals the tumultuous life of the Dutch painter with fascinating detail. Cumberbatch effortlessly portrays Van Gogh, revealing hidden dimensions of the painter's complex psyche. Based on years of research, every word he speaks was meticulously sourced from Van Gogh's extensive writings and correspondence with his brother Theo, offering an authentic portrayal of the artist's innermost thoughts and struggles. This film explores how Van Gogh's art impacted himself and the world. 

Benedict Cumberbatch stars as Vincent Van Gogh in this captivating blend of theater and documentary.

Van Gogh: Painted with Words

Join acclaimed art historian Alastair Sooke for a fascinating exploration of the history of Pop Art. 

From the bustling streets of New York City to the avant-garde galleries of Europe, Sooke offers a fresh perspective on the works of Pop Art luminaries like Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. Sooke peels back the layers of Pop Art's glossy facade, revealing a movement brimming with subversive wit and radical ideas that challenged conventions, redefined artistic norms, and ultimately changed the course of art history forever. Through this journey, discover a renewed appreciation for the bright colors and artistic vision of Pop Art. 

Join art historian Alastair Sooke for a riveting documentary exploring the history of Pop Art. 

Soup Cans and Superstars: How Pop Art Changed the World

Join esteemed historian Simon Schama as he shares the brilliant stories behind key masterworks from Caravaggio, Bernini, Rembrandt, David Turner, Van Gogh, and Picasso. 

In each episode, Schama focuses on a single artist, revealing the history and secrets woven into one of their famous works. From the emotional intensity of Van Gogh's brushstrokes to the revolutionary vision of Picasso's compositions, Schama reveals the fascinating history and evolution of artists who have changed how we view the world. 

Join esteemed historian Simon Schama as he shares the brilliant stories behind key masterworks from Caravaggio to Picasso. 

Simon Schama's Power of Art

Oscar-winning actor Eddie Redmayne presents this deeply emotional documentary by Margy Kinmonth, which shines a powerful light into the abyss of warfare, where art has left a unique legacy.

“The Theory of Everything” star, who studied art history at Cambridge University, meets historians and soldiers and travels to battlefield locations, including Flanders, where he comes face-to-face with reminders of the fallen.

Redmayne interviews contemporary war artists George Butler (Syria) and Peter Howson (Bosnia), some of whose work has been deemed too horrific to be exhibited, and discovers paintings of conflict previously hidden from public view. Legendary canvasses by Paul Nash and J.S. Sargent feature, as do the modernists C.R.W. Nevinson and David Bomberg, whose bold abstract forms changed the artistic landscape forever.

Actor Eddie Redmayne explores artworks inspired by warfare and asks: Where does artistic expression end and propaganda begin? 

War Art with Eddie Redmayne

Anjelica Huston narrates this compelling docudrama from award-winning filmmaker Karen Thomas, exploring the life and work of "the original art star" James McNeill Whistler, whose portrait of his mother is an icon of American culture.

Famous for his patent leather shoes, monocle, and swagger, his theatrics attracted the curiosity of buyers and the attention of critics. When John Ruskin accused him of flinging “a pot of paint” in the face of the public with his nearly abstract paintings, Whistler sued for libel and changed the course of art history.

Whistler’s paintings and drawings introduced ideas and art forms that were avant-garde for their time, paving the way for what became known as modern art decades later. His lasting influence is evident in works by Henri Matisse and Georgia O'Keeffe. Art students and enthusiasts will delight in learning more about this pioneer of "nearly abstract" art.

In this compelling docudrama, Angelica Huston narrates as Kevin Kline gives voice to the pioneering artist and original fame-seeker James McNeill Whistler.

Whistler: For Art's Sake

This intensely personal documentary sees social-conscience artist William Kelly explore whether art can break through rage to create calm in times of crisis.

Kelly is a longtime peace activist who marches, protests and contributes to social transformation through the art he creates. His 42-foot-long, 5-foot-wide print banner titled "Peace and War/The Big Picture" is the focus and framework for this documentary.

Filmed on five continents, with contributions from over 20 artists, thinkers, and activists, including Martin Sheen, A.C. Grayling, and Rama Mani, the viewer is transported to the concentration camps of the Third Reich, the bombing of Hiroshima, the troubles in Ireland, race riots in the USA, and Pol Pot’s Year Zero. Kelly asks, “Does art have the power to help us build a better, more peaceful future?”

Can art change hearts and minds and, in doing so, stop a bullet from being fired? Social-conscience artist William Kelly investigates.

Can Art Stop a Bullet?

In 1832, Eugène Delacroix, the leading light of French Romanticism, journeyed to Africa and discovered a passion for the exotic that would inspire the Symbolist movement.

This seminal biography features sumptuous historical reconstructions based faithfully on Delacroix’s own travel diaries and exquisite sketchbooks and reveals for the first time encounters that would enrich his aesthetic repertoire until the end of his life.

In Morocco and Algeria, we see him entranced by the people and their attire, which he believed to be the visual equal of classical Rome and Greece. Delacroix is considered one of the last Old Masters of painting who brought new themes back from Africa that would influence Monet, Van Gogh, Picasso, and many more. 

200 years ago, an Old Master discovered new themes in North Africa that would inspire his greatest work.

Delacroix: From Paris to Morocco

Experience the Rijksmuseum's sold-out Vermeer exhibition guided by expert curators and art historians.  

Called, ''an unmissable feast'' by the Guardian, the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam unveiled the largest Vermeer exhibition in history in the spring of 2023. This award-winning film gives a privileged view of the unprecedented exhibition, giving a rare opportunity to experience the true scope of Vermeer's timeless works with insight from his foremost experts. 

Drawing from collections around the globe, the exhibition features Vermeer’s most iconic pieces, including ''Girl with a Pearl Earring,'' The Geographer, ''The Milkmaid,'' ''The Little Street,'' ''Lady Writing a Letter with her Maid,'' and ''Woman Holding a Balance.'' In total, 28 of his 37 known works are showcased.  With crisp close-ups and fascinating commentary, see each painting as never before. 

Your chance to experience the largest Vermeer exhibition in history, the Rijksmuseum 2023 sold-out show, guided by expert curators and art historians.  

Moldova Test 3

Subscribe now to watch

Cast & Crew

You may also like