New Film Brings Van Gogh’s Vivid Life and Work to IMAX Screens Worldwide Starting February 9
MacGillivray Freeman Films, Camera Lucida and Les Productions de là Géode are pleased to announce that Van Gogh: Brush With Genius has won the top prize, the Grand Prix Award, at the La Géode Film Festival in Paris this week. A panel of judges from France’s film and television industries voted Van Gogh the best film among the eleven giant screen films entered in the two-week festival.
The award comes on the eve of the film’s world premiere on February 9 at The Hague’s Omniversum in the Netherlands, which will open the film in conjunction with a new Van Gogh exhibition at the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. Following the premiere, MacGillivray Freeman Films will release the film to giant screen theatres worldwide.
"Van Gogh uses the full force of the IMAX Theatre experience to bring alive Van Gogh’s extraordinary life and art in a way that audiences of all kinds can appreciate and enjoy, " said François Bertrand, the film’s director. "Part journey to the breathtaking landscapes that Van Gogh drew inspiration from, part journey into the thoughts and ideas that Van Gogh expressed in his personal letters and journals, Van Gogh is above all else a journey into the imagination, a journey made all the more remarkable by the visceral experience of the giant screen medium."
Added Laurent Dondey, the film’s co-producer: "With its combination of brilliant cinematography, superb narration by Jacques Gamblin as the voice of Van Gogh, and an outstanding score by Armand Amar, Van Gogh does what the giant screen format does best—gives viewers a ‘you-are-there experience, ‘ in this case, the experience of being practically inside the paintings of Van Gogh and working alongside a master artist at the peak of his creativity."
Filmed entirely in 15perf/70mm in France and the Netherlands, Van Gogh captures the magnificent landscapes and extraordinary colors of the artist’s most famous works, seen for the first time with the stunning visual effects of the giant screen film medium.
Told through the eyes of Van Gogh and based on more than 900 personal letters, the film transforms the work of the world’s most popular artist into a completely new entertainment experience.
"We truly applaud the passionate and engaging work that went into this remarkable film, " said Mike Lutz, president of MacGillivray Freeman Films Distribution. "Coming before the film’s release, this award gives us even more confidence that giant screen theatres worldwide will use this film to attract fresh new audiences to their box office."
A co-production of Camera Lucida and Les Productions de là Géode, Van Gogh: Brush With Genius is based on an original idea by Peter Knapp and is directed and produced by François Bertrand with the cooperation of the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, the Musée d’Orsay, and the Kröller-Müller Museum. The film stars Jacques Gamblin as the voice of Van Gogh and Hélène Seuzaret as the museum researcher. The film is written by Marie Sellier; director of photography is Vincent Mathias; music composed by Armand Amar. Van Gogh: Brush With Genius is distributed by MacGillivray Freeman Films.
More About MacGillivray Freeman Films and Its Distribution Company
MacGillivray Freeman Films is the world’s largest independent producer and distributor of giant screen films. Led by two-time Academy Award-nominated producer/director, Greg MacGillivray, MacGillivray Freeman Films is passionately committed to bringing films of the highest quality and the most advanced technical standards to audiences all around the world. The distribution arm of the company, MacGillivray Freeman Films Distribution Company, has more than 40 years of experience in specialized film distribution and is committed to promoting the growth and success of the giant screen format. With a collection of more than 40 award-winning films from internationally renowned directors, the Distribution Company offers the largest independent giant screen film library in the world.
filmvangogh.com
macfreefilms.com
See also: MacGillivray Freeman’s "Grand Canyon Adventure" Nominated for Golden Reel Award for Best Sound Editing
MacGillivray Freeman’s "Grand Canyon Adventure" Nominated for VES Award for Outstanding Visual Effects
