Vincent van Gogh’s story is one of sadness and great beauty, desolation, and wide acceptance as a master long after his death. The intricacies of his life, however, are not well-known to the masses, but Polish painter and director Dorota Kobiela and producer Hugh Welchman are eager to look deeper into van Gogh’s world through his art (and some 800 letters that he wrote) in a new animated film called Loving Vincent, which will star Aidan Turner, Saoirse Ronan, and Chris O’Dowd.
What separates Loving Vincent from past films about the Dutch painter like Lust for Life (1956) or Van Gogh (1991) is that producers are using van Gogh’s art as a direct inspiration while presenting the film in a unique and awe-inspiring way to celebrate the man. Called the “first fully painted feature in the world,” Loving Vincent will be the result of an arduous process undertaken by 100 painters (the producers are looking for more on the project’s website) who have gathered in Gdansk, Poland to create and animate approximately 56,000 paintings (the film required the use of 12 paintings per second) in the style of van Gogh’s masterpieces.
As you can see from the above trailer, the result is a beautiful triumph. Unfortunately, there is no set release date for Loving Vincent at this time, but the notice seeking out more artists mentions that the opportunity offers employment until August 2016, so perhaps something in the winter or early next year, which is frustrating in that the trailer absolutely leaves you wanting more. But you can’t rush this level of detail.
(Via Fast Company)
