Art History

In 1945, when the Allies liberated the concentration camps, they discovered thousands of secretly created artworks. These drawings, hidden from the Nazis, offer an unparalleled understanding of life in the camps. Featuring interviews with surviving artists, this fascinating documentary considers the ability of art to capture, reflect and survive under unimaginable conditions.

A fascinating investigation into the work of photographer and cinema pioneer Eadweard Muybridge, Thom Andersen’s (Los Angeles Plays Itself, Red Hollywood, Reconversao) much-lauded documentary incorporates a biographical overview of its subject with a re-animation of his historic sequential photographs as well as concise and innovative analysis.

Filmed in an unofficial Palestinian Bedouin camp that was established in 1948 on a stretch of beach in South Lebanon, Terrace of the Sea uses a collection of family photographs taken over three generations as a prism through which to reflect on memory, loss and history.

"The Arab governments pushed us out of our homes… I was twelve years old… I’ve been here for 60 years." A beautiful, poignant, documentary, Still Life examines the effect a collection of personal photos showing life in Palestine before the 1948 displacement have on an elderly Palestinian fisherman living in exile in Lebanon.

An enthralling journey through the history of Indian cinema, Celluloid Man is a portrait of P.K Nair, the legendary founder-director of the National Film Archive of India. Featuring extensive interviews and film clips, this is a gorgeous cinematic tribute to 'India's Henry Langlois' and to the importance of preservation.

An in-depth chronicle of the birth, death and resurrection of Polaroid instant film, Time Zero is an illuminating documentary that looks at the impact this iconic American product has had photographers, families and popular culture over the decades - as well as the recent efforts to save it from obsolescence.

A fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the staging of a major operatic production, Verdi's masterpiece, "La Traviata," starring world-famous French coloratura soprano Natalie Dessay and directed by the celebrated Jean-Francois Sivardier.

When FSA photographer Arthur Rothstein came to Virginia in 1935, his assignment was to photograph local residents displaced by Shenandoah National Park. But as this documentary uncovers, Rothstein would play a role in the forced institutionalization and sterilization of many of the area's residents, establishing a disturbing connection between the American eugenics movement and Depression-era documentary work.

Centered around the development and staging of a complex work of modern puppet theater, this illuminating documentary offers a look at the fascinating history of American puppetry - its cultural roots and influence - as well as its current renaissance.

An intimate appreciation of two iconic American artists, photographer Dorothea Lange and painter Maynard Dixon, this engrossing documentary recounts their story from the unique perspective of their eldest son, featuring plentiful examples of their work alongside rare and never-before-seen photographs.

A beautiful and illuminating investigation into the ineffable relationship we have with art, Hidden Treasures introduces us to people who spend their days and nights surrounded by great works of art and have developed powerful, life-changing bonds.

In the past twenty years, some of the most provocative, controversial and sought-after art has been made in China. This documentary profiles the booming art scene, from new art schools inundated with applications to leading Chinese artists whose work is selling for record breaking prices on the global art market.