Subgenre Sampler
Rental > Arts & Artists: 390 Films to Rent on DVD
Squaring the Circle: The Story of Hipgnosis (2023)![Aro Favourite Aro Favourite](/img/arofavsm.gif)
- Dir. Anton Corbijn
- The story of Aubrey “Po” Powell and Storm Thorgerson, a couple of unlikely London lads who stumbled into forming the coolest art design group of…
Hemingway (2021)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Ken Burns, Lynn Novick
- Expansive 3–part documentary on the life of American writer Ernest Hemingway, exploring both his life and his extraordinary writing, which had…
My Name is Gulpilil (2021)
- Dir. Molly Reynolds
Feat. David Gulpilil
- A documentary memoir of the late great actor and dancer David Gulpilil, an Aboriginal Australian of the Yolngu people who starred in movies such as…
Raphael: The Young Prodigy (2021)
- Dir. Massimo Ferrari
- A documentary about the Italian painter Raphael, and his extraordinary contribution to the short–lived High Renaissance movement of the late…
Velvet Queen, The (2021)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Marie Amiguet
- An incredible nature documentary from France as much about the human animal as the animal kingdom. It follows renowned wildlife photographer Vincent…
Botticelli, Florence and the Medici (2020)
- Dir. Marco Pianigiani
- A documentary exploring Renaissance Florence and its astonishing art and culture, centering around the life of revolutionary artist Sandro Botticelli…
Helmut Newton: The Bad and the Beautiful (2020)
- Dir. Gero von Boehm
- Wildly successful photographer Helmut Newton made a name for himself exploring the female form over many decades, and his cult status continues long…
Painter and the Thief, The (2020)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Benjamin Ree
- A astonishing art documentary about the Czech painter Barbora Kysilkova, who tracked down and met the criminal who stole her paintings.
What…
Resistance (2020)
- Dir. Jonathan Jakubowicz
Feat. Jesse Eisenberg, Clemence Poesy, Géza Röhrig…
- Handsomely mounted biopic based on the life of Marcel Marceau. Jesse Eisenberg impresses as the mime artist who fought for the French Jewish…
Aznavour By Charles (Le regard de Charles) (2019)
- Dir. Charles Aznavour, Marc di Domenico
- Documentary exploring the extensive film diaries of French–Armenian singer, songwriter and actor Charles Aznavour, which he shot from the late…
Burnt Orange Heresy, The (2019)![Aro Favourite Aro Favourite](/img/arofavsm.gif)
- Dir. Giuseppe Capotondi
Feat. Claes Bang, Elizabeth Debicki, Mick Jagger…
- Sophisticated crime thriller set in the privileged world of fine art, where an art critic (Claes Bang, who played the unfortunate gallery curator in…
Frida: Viva La Vida (2019)
- Dir. Giovanni Troilo
Feat. Asia Argento
- Asia Argento narrates this documentary about the enigmatic, iconic Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, exploring her letters and diaries to present both the…
Hermitage: The Power of Art (Ermitage. Il potere dell'arte) (2019)
- Dir. Michele Mally
- A documentary about the Hermitage in St Petersburg, a vast museum boasting the largest collection of paintings in the world. Explores the daily life…
Jean Paul Gaultier: Freak and Chic (2019)
- Dir. Yann L’Henoret
- An all access look behind the scenes into the glamorous world of visionary French fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier, as he prepares an outrageous…
Leunig Fragments, The (2019)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Kasimir Burgess
- A documentary portrait of Michael Leunig, the cartoonist, writer, painter, philosopher and poet who counts as one of Australia's National Living…
Mapplethorpe (2019)
- Dir. Ondi Timoner
Feat. Matt Smith, Marianne Rendon, John Benjamin Hickey
- Biopic of photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, with Matt Smith portraying the brilliantly provocative photographer and gay icon.
Marriage Story (2019)![Aro Favourite Aro Favourite](/img/arofavsm.gif)
- Dir. Noah Baumbach
Feat. Scarlett Johansson, Adam Driver, Laura Dern…
- A brutal, funny and at times almost unbearably insightful depiction of the divorce of an upper class stage director and actress (played brilliantly…
Martha: A Picture Story (2019)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Selina Miles
- Suburb documentary about photographer Martha Cooper, who saw the value and beauty in New York graffiti in the 1970's, and became an icon of the…
Mrs Lowry & Son (2019)
- Dir. Adrian Noble
Feat. Vanessa Redgrave, Timothy Spall
- The life of the renowned British artist L. S. Lowry is the subject of this entertaining biopic, with Timothy Spall and Vanessa Redgrave superb as the…
Ottolenghi and the Cakes of Versailles (2019)
- Dir. Laura Gabbert
- Documenting the collaboration between world renowned chef Yotam Ottolenghi and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, this documentary follows…
Prado Museum, The: A Collection of Wonders (2019)
- Dir. Valeria Parisi
- Documentary telling the story of Spain's magnificent Prado Museum, celebrating its 200th birthday. Explores an incredible collection of over 8000 art…
Souvenir, The (2019)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Joanna Hogg
Feat. Honor Swinton Byrne, Tom Burke, Tilda Swinton
- Brilliantly observed and fiercely unconventional drama from writer–director Joanna Hogg (EXHIBITION) introspectively exploring the life of a…
Stuffed (2019)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Erin Derham
- A documentary about the fascinating and mysterious world of taxidermy, featuring passionate artists and experts and providing a fully rounded…
Tintoretto: A Rebel in Venice (2019)
- Dir. Giuseppe Domingo Romano
- With the enchanting narrative voice of Helena Bonham Carter, a new exciting cinema production celebrates the 500th anniversary of the birth of the…
Tolkien (2019)
- Dir. Dome Karukoski
Feat. Nicholas Hoult, Lily Collins, Colm Meaney…
- An accomplished dramatisation of the formative years of the orphaned author J.R.R. Tolkien (LORD OF THE RINGS) as he finds friendship, love and…
Varda By Agnes (2019)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Agnes Varda
Feat. Agnes Varda
- Belgian–born film–maker/photographer/artist Agnès Varda takes a seat on a theatre stage to present photos and film excerpts that provide…
At Eternity's Gate (2018)
- Dir. Julian Schnabel
Feat. Willem Dafoe, Rupert Friend, Mads Mikkelsen…
- Immersive, naturalistic portrait of Van Gogh during the time he lived in Arles and Auvers–sur–Oise, France. Directed by Julian Schnabel…
Eyes of Orson Welles, The (2018)
- Dir. Mark Cousins
- Mark Cousins (THE STORY OF FILM – AN ODYSSEY) examines the visual world of Orson Welles through his non–cinematic work, uncovering new…
Klimt and Schiele: Eros and Psyche (2018)
- Dir. Michele Mally
- A documentary exploring the art world of turn–of–the–century Vienna, where Gustav Klimt and his rebellious protégé Egon Schiele…
Kusama - Infinity (2018)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Heather Lenz
- The incredible story of top–selling artist Yayoi Kusama, who overcame countless odds (wartime trauma, mental illness, sexism, racism) to bring…
McQueen (2018)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Ian Bonhôte, Peter Ettedgui
- Documentary about the extraordinary life and work of British designer Alexander McQueen, whose fashion shows, described as "savagely beautiful",…
Price of Everything, The (2018)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Nathaniel Kahn
- Exploring the labyrinth of the contemporary art world, this documentary examines the role of art and artistic passion in todays money–driven,…
Stieg Larsson: The Man Who Played with Fire (2018)
- Dir. Henrik Georgsson
- Comprehensive documentary about Swedish author Stieg Larsson, who died at the age of 50, and posthumously became one of the world's most famous…
Water Lilies of Monet: The Magic of Water and Light (2018)
- A journey through the masterpieces and obsessions of the "Genius of Impressionism", with Ross King, author of Mad Enchantment: Claude Monet and the…
Crashing (TV Series) (2017)
- Feat. Pete Holmes, George Basil
- Comedian Pete Holmes plays a fictionalised version of himself in this series about a New York comic who makes a new start in stand–up after his…
Faces Places (2017)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Agnes Varda, JR
Feat. Agnes Varda, JR
- Charming French documentary created by and starring beloved new wave director Agnes Varda, who recruits a charismatic young photographer/muralist…
Final Portrait (2017)
- Dir. Stanley Tucci
Feat. Geoffrey Rush, Armie Hammer, Clemence Poesy…
- The chaos and beauty of the artistic process is examined in this biopic about world–renowned artist Alberto Giacometti (Geoffrey Rush),…
Gauguin: Voyage de Tahiti (2017)
- Dir. Edouard Deluc
Feat. Vincent Cassel
- Vincent Cassel delivers a committed, absorbing performance as French painter Paul Gauguin. Set in 1891, when Gauguin exiled himself to Tahiti to…
Have You Seen the Listers? (2017)
- Dir. Eddie Martin
- Masterful documentary on the life of world–renowned Brisbane artist Anthony Lister, exploring his origins as a street artist and his…
I Am Heath Ledger (2017)
- Dir. Adrian Buitenhuis, Derik Murray
- A loving documentary about the life of renowned actor Heath Ledger. Deliberately eschewing his death at age 28 from a prescription drug overdose, the…
Interlude in Prague (2017)
- Dir. John Stephenson
Feat. Aneurin Barnard, James Purefoy, Samantha Barks
- Period drama for those who loved AMADEUS, set in Prague in 1787, where Mozart has relocated to create his masterpiece Don Giovanni. But his presence…
Kobi (2017)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Andrea Bosshard, Shane Loader
- A loving portrait of Swiss goldsmith Kobi Bosshard, widely regarded as the grandfather of contemporary NZ jewellery, made by his daughter, filmmaker…
Leaning into the Wind (2017)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Thomas Riedelsheimer
- Equally worthy follow–up to the director's previous film about Andy Goldsworthy, RIVERS AND TIDES, again providing a meditative and vibrant…
Loving Vincent (2017)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Dorota Kobiela, Hugh Welchman
- Lovingly crafted portrait of Vincent Van Gogh uniquely rendered in oil painted animation. The film follows the endeavours of a young man whose…
Maria by Callas (2017)
- Dir. Tom Volf
- Definitive portrait of the Greek–American opera singer Maria Callas, using her own writings, letters and reminiscences to tell the story of her…
McKellen: Playing the Part (Ian McKellen: Playing the Part) (2017)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Joe A. Stephenson
- Celebration of the extraordinary life and work of Sir Ian McKellen, based around excerpts from a 14 hour interview, but also including…
Rumble: The American Indians Who Rocked The World (2017)
- Dir. Catherine Bainbridge, Alfonso Maiorana
- A fascinating and rousing documentary profiling the impact of American Indian musicians on the development of rock music. Musicians featured include…
Banksy Job, The (2016)
- Dir. Ian Roderick Gray, Dylan Harvey
- Like an inferior fan–made follow up to EXIT THROUGH THE GIFT SHOP, this art–heist documentary follows the self–described art…
Cameraperson (2016)
- Dir. Kirsten Johnson
- Extraordinary autobiographical documentary by acclaimed cinematographer Kirsten Johnson, who has collected film clips spanning the past 10 years of…
David Lynch: The Art Life (2016)
- Dir. Jon Nguyen
- An essential portrait of film–making iconoclast David Lynch, who takes us on an intimate journey from his childhood in idyllic small town…
Family Fang, The (2016)
- Dir. Jason Bateman
Feat. Nicole Kidman, Jason Bateman, Kathryn Hahn…
- The Fang siblings, raised by performance artist parents, return home as adults with their own artistic careers in this art–world family…
Guv'nor, The (2016)
- Dir. Paul Van Carter
- Fascinating documentary about notorious East End boxer, bouncer and latter–day actor Lenny McLean, told from the perspective of his only son,…
heART of the matter, The (2016)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Luit Bieringa
- A valuable historical documentary tracing the remarkable shifts in educational philosophy in New Zealand during the post WWII years, in which…
Kate Plays Christine (2016)
- Dir. Robert Greene
Feat. Kate Lyn Sheil
- A fascinating documentary following an actress who is preparing to play the role of newscaster Christine Chubbuck, who famously committed suicide on…
Manifesto (2016)![Aro Favourite Aro Favourite](/img/arofavsm.gif)
- Dir. Julian Rosefeldt
Feat. Cate Blanchett
- Brilliantly conceived and executed homage to the tradition of artist manifestos, which poses intelligent questions about the role of the artist in…
Marina Abramovic in Brazil: The Space in Between (2016)
- Dir. Marco Del Fiol
- Intriguing documentary following the provocative and adventurous Serbian performance artist Marina Abramovic (THE ARTIST IS PRESENT) as she travels…
Maudie (2016)
- Dir. Aisling Walsh
Feat. Ethan Hawke, Sally Hawkins, Kari Matchett…
- An arthritic Nova Scotia woman works as a housekeeper while she hones her skills as an artist and eventually becomes a beloved figure in the…
Minute Bodies (The Intimate World of F. Percy) (2016)
- Dir. Stuart A. Staples, David Reeve
- A meditative, immersive film from David Reeve and 'Tindersticks' frontman Stuart A. Staples that tributes the astonishing work of naturalist,…
Project Greenlight (TV Series) - Season 4 (2016)
- Dir. Jason Mann
Feat. Ben Affleck, Matt Damon
- The fourth season of the excellent HBO series in which the winners of a film–making competition are followed through the production process of…
Versus: The Life and Films of Ken Loach (2016)
- Dir. Louise Osmond
- A revealing tribute to the life and career of one of Britain's most eminent film–makers and socially–conscious artists, whose prolific…
Whiteley (2016)
- Dir. James Bogle
- A vivid and stimulating chronicle of the life and art of troubled Australian painter Brett Whiteley, who died in 1992 at the age of 53, and helped to…
Best of Enemies (2015)![Aro Favourite Aro Favourite](/img/arofavsm.gif)
- Dir. Robert Gordon, Morgan Neville
- Riveting account of the frequently explosive televised debates between the liberal Gore Vidal and conservative William F. Buckley that transfixed…
Call My Agent (TV Series) (Dix pour cent) (2015)
- Feat. Camille Cottin, Liliane Rovere, Thibault de Montalembert
- French TV drama set in a talent agency and following the lives of the agents as they combine art with business and juggle their private and…
Francofonia (2015)![Aro Favourite Aro Favourite](/img/arofavsm.gif)
- Dir. Alexandr Sokurov
Feat. Louis-Do de Lencquesaing, Benjamin Utzerath
- A richly evocative and insightful historical cine–essay from celebrated dir. Alexander Sokurov (RUSSIAN ARK) that charts the relationship…
Heart of a Dog (2015)
- Dir. Laurie Anderson
Feat. Laurie Anderson
- Prolific performance artist Laurie Anderson directs this brave but gentle autobiographical cinematic essay, centered around themes of death and love,…
Miss Sharon Jones! (2015)
- Dir. Barbara Kopple
- Energetic as well as intimate, this portrait of the mighty soul singer by acclaimed documentarian Barbara Kopple bravely chronicles the effect that…
Peggy Guggenheim: Art Addict (2015)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Lisa Immordino Vreeland
- Luminous portrait of the arts patron extraordinaire who transformed a modest fortune and adventurous taste into one of the premier collections of…
Reset (Relève: Histoire d'une création) (2015)
- Dir. Thierry Demaizière, Alban Teurlai
- Delightful depiction of renowned choreographer and dancer Benjamin Millepied (best known for choreographing the dance sequences in Black Swan) in his…
Seymour: An Introduction (2015)
- Dir. Ethan Hawke
- Award–winning documentary on the life and career of classical pianist Seymour Bernstein, who abandoned fame as a performer in favour of a…
What Happened, Miss Simone? (2015)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Liz Garbus
- Essential biographical documentary about the extraordinary Nina Simone, filled with previously unseen archival footage of the singer, and produced by…
Winter at Westbeth (2015)
- Dir. Rohan Spong
- A vibrant showcase of three elderly artists who reside in the historic and unique Westbeth Artists Housing in New York City's west village. Filmed…
Woman in Gold (2015)
- Dir. Simon Curtis
Feat. Helen Mirren, Ryan Reynolds, Daniel Brühl…
- Helen Mirren elevates this polished if prosaic dramatisation of an elderly Jewish woman who teams with a rookie lawyer (Reynolds) to seek restorative…
Art + Soul (2014)
- An in depth journey through the heritage, politics and imagination in contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art. Presented by Hetti…
Banksy Does New York (2014)
- Dir. Chris Moukarbel
- Documentary chronicling the famed street artist's "31 works of art in 31 days" in New York city.
Big Eyes (2014)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Tim Burton
Feat. Amy Adams, Christoph Waltz, Danny Huston…
- Director Tim Burton refreshingly breaks with fantasy for this resplendent biopic of painter Margaret Keane, whose prolific and popular work was…
Effie Gray (2014)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Richard Laxton
Feat. Dakota Fanning, Greg Wise, Tom Sturridge…
- Written by Emma Thompson, this highly respectable period drama looks at the scandalous love triangle between Victorian art critic John Ruskin, his…
Future Shock! The Story of 2000AD (2014)
- The story of mighty British sci–fi comic 2000AD is passionately told by the creators and artists Pat Mills, Neil Gaiman, Grant Morrison, John…
Great Museum, The (2014)
- Dir. Johannes Holzhausen
- Fascinating glimpse behind the scenes of one of the most famous cultural institutions in the world, The Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna.
Mr. Turner (2014)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Mike Leigh
Feat. Timothy Spall, Paul Jesson, Dorothy Atkinson…
- Mike Leigh directs Timothy Spall in this acclaimed exploration of the last quarter century of the great, if eccentric, British painter J.M.W.…
National Gallery (2014)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Frederick Wiseman
- Director Frederick Wiseman applies his rigorously patient and observational style to explore one of the great museums of the world: The National…
Posthumous (2014)
- Dir. Lulu Wang
Feat. Jack Huston, Brit Marling, Tom Schilling…
- Satirical comedy set in the Berlin art world follows an artist who decides to cash in after rumours of his demise give his work new found prominence.
Salt of the Earth, The (2014)![Aro Favourite Aro Favourite](/img/arofavsm.gif)
- Dir. Wim Wenders, Juliano Ribeiro Salgado
- A visually stunning and deeply affecting portrait of Sebastião Salgado, an acclaimed humanitarian photographer, who for over forty years has…
Today's Russia: A Literary Landscape (2014)
- Feat. Stephen Fry
- Stephen Fry presents this overdue reappraisal of Russian literature for a Western audience. Imbued with Fry's characteristic personal touches and…
Best Offer, The (2013)
- Dir. Giuseppe Tornatore
Feat. Geoffrey Rush, Jim Sturgess, Donald Sutherland…
- An obsessive antiques dealer becomes entangled with an heiress who asks him appraise a series of family art works in this baroque mystery from CINEMA…
Camille Claudel, 1915 (2013)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Bruno Dumont
Feat. Juliette Binoche, Jean-Luc Vincent
- Another acting masterclass from the formidable Juliette Binoche intensifies this clear–sighted portrait of misunderstood sculptress Camille…
Cutie and the Boxer (2013)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Zachary Heinzerling
- An insightful and perceptive doco on the relationship between an elderly Japanese couple who also happen to be alternative artists: Ushio Shinohara,…
Da Vinci's Demons (TV Series) (2013)
- Feat. Tom Riley
- A lavishly produced historical fantasy which imagines Leonardo da Vinci's life as an artist, inventor and genius.
Season One: eight episodes…
Exhibition (2013)![Aro Favourite Aro Favourite](/img/arofavsm.gif)
- Dir. Joanna Hogg
Feat. Viv Albertine, Liam Gillick, Tom Hiddleston
- A brilliant and refreshingly unconventional portrait of a marriage from singular British director Joanna Hogg (ARCHIPELAGO), starring Viv Albertine…
Finding Vivian Maier (2013)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. John Maloof, Charlie Siskel
- Doing for art world what SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN did for music, this arresting documentary discovers a nanny whose previously unknown cache of…
Grayson Perry: All in the Best Possible Taste (TV Series) (2013)![Aro Favourite Aro Favourite](/img/arofavsm.gif)
- Turner–Prize winning artist and renowned transvestite Grayson Perry visits the taste tribes of Britain, dissecting the class system into three…
Inside Out: The People's Art Project (2013)
- Dir. Alastair Siddons
- Documentary portrait of French artist and TED prize–winner JR (Jean–Pierre Romel), who creates a global participatory art project that…
Lily Cole's Art Matters (2013)
- Feat. Lily Cole
- Supermodel and Cambridge Arts graduate, Lily Cole, hosts a series of intimate, observational portraits with some of today's most renowned…
Painting, The (Le tableau) (2013)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Jean Francois Laguionie
- Gorgeous French animation intriguingly set within a half–finished painting, which follows the characters (left in various states of completion…
Reaching for the Moon (2013)
- Dir. Bruno Barreto
Feat. Gloria Pires, Miranda Otto, Tracy Middendorf…
- A chronicle of the tragic love affair between American poet Elizabeth Bishop and Brazilian architect Lota de Macedo Soares.
Summer in February (2013)
- Feat. Dominic Cooper, Dan Stevens, Emily Browning
- The famous Cornish Artists Colony is the setting for this beautiful looking but ultimately uninspiring Edwardian tragiromance.
Tim's Vermeer (2013)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Teller
Feat. Penn Jillette
- Science and art coalesce in this extraordinary story of Texan tech pioneer and obsessive polymath Tim Jenison's attempt to perfectly reproduce a…
Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry (2012)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Alison Klayman
- As he prepares for a new series of exhibitions, China's most famous contemporary artist and dissident is profiled in this superb documentary.
Art of America (2012)
- Art critic Andrew Graham–Dixon guides us from the Puritan settlers in Massachusetts to the contemporary art scene in New York and LA in this…
Creative Minds (2012)
- Geoffrey Rush headlines this insightful series of interviews with Australia artists who speak openly about their influences, personal development,…
For No Good Reason (2012)
- Johnny Depp visits upon renowned graphic artist Ralph Steadman for this rightly mischevious portrait of the last of the original "Gonzo" visionaries…
Gregory Crewdson: Brief Encounters (2012)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Ben Shapiro
- Engaging, illuminating documentary shot over a decade, that follows Crewdson as he roams a disintegrating suburban America and stages his…
Hemingway & Gellhorn (2012)
- Dir. Philip Kaufman
Feat. Nicole Kidman, Clive Owen, David Strathairn…
- Clive Owen and Nicole Kidman spar in this highly mannered HBO biopic of famed war correspondent Martha Gellhorn's rocky romance with literary giant…
Journal de France (2012)
- Dir. Raymond Depardon, Claudine Nougaret
- A revealing travel journal as survey of legendary French photographer and filmmaker Raymond Depardon's lens work as he captures fading pockets of his…
Marina Abramovic: The Artist is Present (2012)![Aro Favourite Aro Favourite](/img/arofavsm.gif)
- Dir. Matthew Akers, Jeff Dupre
- Mesmerising arts documentary that follows the Serbian–born veteran performance artist as she prepares for a retrospective of her work at The…
Persistence of Vision (2012)
- Dir. Kevin Schreck
- The fascinating journey of master animator Richard Williams (Who Framed Roger Rabbit) and his 30–year quest to create his ultimately…
Renoir (2012)
- Dir. Gilles Bourdos
Feat. Michel Bouquet, Christa Theret, Vincent Rottiers…
- Sumptuous, sun–kissed art biopic based on the last years of impressionist painter Auguste Renoir (Bouquet) during World War I, and the…
Words, The (2012)
- Dir. Brian Klugman, Lee Sternthal
Feat. Bradley Cooper, Zoe Saldana, Dennis Quaid…
- Bradley Cooper plays a struggling writer whose conscience gets the better of him when a found manuscript he passes off as his own achieves great…
Best Of Palettes Collection, The (2011)
- Intriguing series using the latest in art investigation and video animation to explore the history, techniques and controversies behind some of the…
Daytime Tiger (2011)
- Dir. Costa Botes
- In 1999, NZ writer Michael Morrissey was diagnosed with manic depression, or bi–polar disorder (Morrissey prefers the older term). He has…
Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel (2011)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Lisa Immordino Vreeland
- Whirlwind portrait of fashion trailblazer Diana Vreeland, a force of nature as former editor of Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue.
Known for her…
Disappear in Light (2011)
- A distilled portrait of Wellington playwright and performer Jo Randerson, whose work towards the staging of her play "Good Night, The End" provides…
Eames: The Architect and the Painter (2011)![Aro Favourite Aro Favourite](/img/arofavsm.gif)
- Dir. Jason Cohn, Bill Jersey
- A vital documentary on design power couple Charles and Ray Eames, whose enduring bond as both married partners and collaborators gave us numerous…
Impressionists, The: Painting and Revolution (2011)
- A deep–focus investigation into the revolutionary achievements of the Impressionist movement by British art critic Waldemar Januszczak. Across…
Look, The (2011)
- Dir. Angelina Maccarone
Feat. Charlotte Rampling
- In this fascinating series of conversations, Charlotte Rampling interviews a number of key collaborators during her career as a means of…
Magic Trip (2011)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Alex Gibney, Alison Ellwood
- Recovering 16mm footage shot during the maiden voyage of the psychedelic 'Magic Bus', this documentary reassembles a visual snapshot of the legendary…
Manet: The Man Who Invented Modern Art (2011)
- British art critic Waldemar Januszczak hosts this illuminating portrait of 'the father of Impressionism', claiming to offer the first…
Mill and the Cross, The (2011)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Lech Majewski
Feat. Rutger Hauer, Michael York, Charlotte Rampling
- Polish experimental auteur Lech Majewski offers a breathtaking, elegantly construed anatomy of Pieter Bruegel's epic 1564 painting ''The Procession…
This is Not a Film (2011)![Aro Favourite Aro Favourite](/img/arofavsm.gif)
- Dir. Jafar Panahi, Mojtaba Mirtahmasb
- Persecuted Iranian auteur Jafar Panahi turns the camera on himself in this galvanizing protest film about the physical and creative imprisonment of…
Arbor, The (2010)![Aro Favourite Aro Favourite](/img/arofavsm.gif)
- Dir. Clio Barnard
- A grimly compelling portrait of hard–living British playwright Andrea Dunbar, most celebrated for writing seminal kitchen sink comedy RITA,…
Believe: The Eddie Izzard Story (2010)
- Dir. Sarah Townsend
Feat. Eddie Izzard
- Potrait of the comedian Eddie Izzard's rise to fame from early influences, losing his mother to cancer at a young age before being sent with his…
Bill Cunningham New York (2010)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Richard Press
- A surprise sleeper hit on the arthouse box–office circuit, this is a poignant and gently humorous portrait of street fashion photographer Bill…
Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010)![Aro Favourite Aro Favourite](/img/arofavsm.gif)
- Dir. Banksy
Feat. Banksy , Thierry Guetta
- A would–be filmmaker's documentary on renegade street artist Banksy is turned on its head, becoming an expose of the contemporary art world and…
Genius of Design, The (2010)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- A highly accessible overview of 20th century industrial design movements and revolutions, this surveys everything from the emergence of modernism in…
Gordon Crook: A Life in Art (2010)
- Dir. Clare O'Leary
- Thoughtful, and enlightening portrait of ex–pat British artist Gordon Crook, who since 1972 has called Wellington – and Aro Valley…
Great Epochs of European Art, The (2010)
- A detailed, German–produced art history series illustrated by selected masterpieces of architecture, sculpture and painting. In addition to…
Howl (2010)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Robert Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman
Feat. James Franco, David Strathairn, Jon Hamm…
- A fitting celebration and account of the making and hostile reception of Allen Ginsberg's famously controversial poem, with James Franco superb as…
Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child (2010)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Tamra Davis
- A worthy and elegiac tribute to the neo–expressionist wunderkind, with dir. Davis deftly avoiding much of the usual bluster, instead focusing…
L'Amour Fou (2010)
- Dir. Pierre Thoretton
- A moving document of the relationship between fashion designer Yves Saint–Laurent and his lover, Pierre Berge, remembered through their famed…
Michael Smither - The Next Ten Years (2010)
- Dir. Tony Hiles
- Intimate two–part documentary following New Zealand artist and musician Michael Smither, as he prepares for his final dealer exhibition and…
Mother of Rock - Lillian Roxon (2010)
- Dir. Paul Clarke
- Feisty Australian journalist Lillian Roxon is the subject of this rock time capsule, which frames the music revolution of the 60s and 70s against…
Paris: The Luminous Years (2010)
- Illuminating documentary takes an overarching look at the literature and art that flourished in Paris during the first three decades of the 20th…
Russian Snark (2010)
- Dir. Stephen Sinclair
Feat. Stephen Papps, Elena Stejko, Stephanie Tauevihi…
- A pair of Russian refugees settle in Auckland to make art and a new home in this eccentric yet accessible 'art comedy' from screenwriter and…
Sam Hunt: Purple Balloon and Other Stories (2010)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Tim Rose, Jim Scott
- A bluntly honest portrait of New Zealand's most recognisable poet, with conversation by Hunt – along with friends, relatives, and other talking…
Venice Revealed (2010)
- Author Peter Ackroyd adapts his definitive book on the history of Venice in this fascinating exploration of the art, architecture, music and theatre…
Waste Land (2010)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Lucy Walker
- Brazilian photographer Vik Muniz visits the world's largest rubbish dump, located outside Rio de Janeiro, to develop a unique artistic collaboration…
William S. Burroughs: A Man Within (2010)
- Dir. Yony Leyser
- Celebrities and acolytes gather for this heady hagiography of the legendary beat author and American icon, most famous for his controversial novel,…
13 Most Beautiful... Songs for Andy Warhol's Screen Tests (2009)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Andy Warhol
Feat. Dennis Hopper, Nico , Lou Reed…
- This exquisite selection of silent film portraits is the first authorized collection of Andy Warhol's films. The selection of 13 was narrowed down…
Art and Copy (2009)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Doug Pray
- A clear–headed, inspiring tribute to the 'creatives' behind some of the world’s most iconic advertising campaigns, slogans, and brands.…
Art Of The Steal, The (2009)
- Dir. Don Argott
- Gripping art documentary gets behind the plight of art collector Dr. Albert Barnes, whose posthumous wish to have his fortune of…
Boogie Woogie (2009)
- Dir. Duncan Ward
Feat. Danny Huston, Gillian Anderson, Alan Cumming…
- Broad satire of the modern art scene with Danny Huston as a supercilious art dealer scheming to get his hands on a rare Mondrian. Hugely…
China Power - Art now after Mao (2009)
- Dir. Pia Getty
- A fascinating glimpse into China's modern art market, reflecting the ironies and contradictions of making art in the country's oppressive political…
David Hockney - A Bigger Picture (2009)
- Dir. Bruno Wollheim
- Sound BBC–produced portrait of David Hockney, following the modernist art icon back to England after 25 years in Hollywood.
Desperate Romantics (TV Mini-series) (2009)
- Feat. Rafe Spall, Samuel Barnett, Aidan Turner…
- Ribald treatment of the controversial art movement pays only cursory attention to their work and instead largely on their adventures in the bodice…
Eating Art (TV Series) (2009)
- Delicious fusion of art history and gastronomic mysteries as celebrated restaurateur and art boffin Oliver Peyton takes the viewer on a tour of some…
Georgia O'Keeffe (2009)
- Dir. Bob Balaban
Feat. Joan Allen, Jeremy Irons, Ed Jr. Begley
- This made–for–television biopic of American artist Georgia O'Keeffe and her husband, photographer Alfred Stieglitz, is distinguished as…
Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle, The (2009)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. David Russo
Feat. Marshall Allman, Vince Vieluf, Natasha Lyonne
- Pleasingly off–kilter indie comedy bares witness to the spiritual crisis of an office clerk who joins a posse of bohemian night janitors who…
Man In The Hat, The (2009)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Luit Bieringa
- Sam Neill narrates this intimate portrait of veteran art dealer Peter McLeavey, commemorating his 40 years in the business of running an independent…
Mao's Last Dancer (2009)![Aro Favourite Aro Favourite](/img/arofavsm.gif)
- Dir. Bruce Beresford
Feat. Chi Cao, Bruce Greenwood, Kyle MacLachlan…
- Enthralling true–life story traces the life of acclaimed ballet dancer Li Cunxin from his impoverished upbringing in communist China to the…
Ne Change Rien (2009)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Pedro Costa
Feat. Jeanne Balibar
- A smokey, high contrast insight into the artistic process from avant–garde filmmaker Pedro Costa, intensely focused on the methods of French…
Objectified (2009)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Gary Hustwit
- Gary Hustwit’s follow–up to the superb typography documentary HELVETICA delves into the unseen world of industrial design, investigating and…
Shadow Play: The Making of Anton Corbijn (2009)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Josh Whiteman
- Behind the defining look of Joy Division, U2, Depeche Mode and Simple Minds (curiously absent here), Dutch rock photographer turned filmmaker Anton…
Tell Them Anything You Want - A Portrait of Maurice Sendak (2009)
- Dir. Spike Jonze, Lance Bangs
- These frank and insightful conversations with Maurice Sendak (and dir. Spike Jonze) paint a surprising portrait of the WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE…
Visual Acoustics (2009)
- Dir. Eric Bricker
- Fans of modernist architecture will savour this docu–tribute to the life and career of Southern California architectural photographer, Julius…
We Live in Public (2009)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Ondi Timoner
- Armed to the teeth with dot–com millions, mad prophet–cum–performance artist Josh Harris goes off the deep end in this startling…
Andy Warhol's Factory People (2008)
- Dir. Catherine Schorr O'Sullivan
Feat. Andy Warhol
- Nicely self–contained document of Andy Warhol's Factory and its workers, which does a great job of tracking down many of the hipsters and…
Art of Spain (2008)
- Art critic Andrew Graham–Dixon continues his thorough exploration of national art with this focus on Spanish architecture and culture,…
Art Star and the Sudanese Twins, The (2008)![Aro Favourite Aro Favourite](/img/arofavsm.gif)
- Dir. Pietra Brettkelly
- With a genuinely compelling subject to draw confession from, this oddly–topical documentary – on the increasingly common adoption of African…
Beaches of Agnes, The (2008)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Agnes Varda
- A wonderfully light–footed collection of memories and monologues in documentary essay form from the queen of the French New Wave, Agnes…
Beautiful Losers (2008)
- Dir. Aaron Rose
- A doco for the slacker generation, this early–nineties overview tenuously gathers such hipster artists as Harmony Korine (film), Ed Templeton…
Between the Folds (2008)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Vanessa Gould
- Charming (and potentially inspiring) doco from America's PBS channel exploring the ancient but perennially fascinating subject of…
Chevolution (2008)
- Dir. Luis Lopez, Trisha Ziff
- Cuban revolutionary history is examined through photographer Alberto Korda’s iconic portrait of Che Guevara – now a ubiquitous and exploited…
Concrete Canvas (TV Series) (2008)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Ten part documentary series focused around renowned 3D pavement artist Julian Beever, who travels through ten different cities creating new…
Cool School - Story Of Ferus Art Gallery, The (2008)
- Dir. Morgan Neville
- Los Angeles’ unheralded contemporary art scene is given the celebrity treatment in this uncharted history of the American pop art movement…
Eternity Man, The (2008)
- Dir. Julien Temple
Feat. Lara Mulcahy, Grant Doyle, Christa Hughes
- Film adaptation of the opera of the same name by Jonathan Mills and Dorothy Porter. Explores the life of Arthur Stace, an Australian icon who earned…
Everlasting Moments (2008)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Jan Troell
Feat. Maria Heiskanen, Mikael Persbrandt, Jesper Christensen
- A touching, delicately shot memoir told from the perspective of a Finnish immigrant in Sweden who finds relief from her abusive husband in the art of…
Garrison Keillor: The Man on the Radio in the Red Shoes (2008)
- Dir. Peter Rosen
- Delightful documentary chronicling a life on the road for American entertainer Garrison Keillor, whose radio show A Prairie Home Companion is a…
Genius Party: Beyond (2008)
- Dir. Masahiro Maeda, Koji Morimoto, Kazuto Nakazawa
- Five more of Japans finest animators come together in this fine follow up. This time out the theme is "The Spirit of Creativity".
Gonzo: The Life And Work Of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson (2008)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Alex Gibney
Feat. Hunter S. Thompson
- Excellent portrait of the late Hunter S. Thompson, the revolutionary writer who pioneered 'Gonzo', a freewheeling style of subjective journalism.…
Herb and Dorothy (2008)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Megumi Sasaki
- Devotional New York art patrons Herb and Dorothy Vogel are the subject of this delightful portrait, taking us inside the couple’s modest one…
Infinite Space: The Architecture of John Lautner (2008)
- Dir. Murray Grigor
- A documentary about the life and work of visionary architect John Lautner (1911 – 1994), who worked primarily in California on residential…
Little Ashes (2008)
- Dir. Paul Morrison
Feat. Robert Pattinson, Matthew McNulty, Javier Beltran…
- Meandering and soapy look at three of Spain's artistic enfant terribles; Luis Bunuel, Federico Garcia Lorca and Salvador Dali.
Focussing on the…
Louise Bourgeois - The Spider, the Mistress and the Tangerine (2008)
- Dir. Marion Cajori, Amei Wallach
- At the ripe of age of 98, evergreen French artist and sculptor Louise Bourgeois continues to astound in this portrait of her captivating life's…
Man On Wire (2008)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. James Marsh
Feat. Phillipe Petit
- Oscar–winning doco about a truly remarkable, one–of–a–kind subject; a cavalier French daredevil called Phillipe Petit who in…
Miss Austen Regrets (2008)
- Dir. Jeremy Lovering
Feat. Samuel Roukin, Olivia Williams, Greta Scacchi
- Dramatized account of Jane Austen's later years, focused around the author as she approaches her 40th birthday and is forced to confront the missed…
Palin on Art (TV Series) (2008)
- Feat. Michael Palin
- Art–aficionado Michael Palin explores the works and history of some of the lesser–known artists that he holds dear to his heart.
The…
Patti Smith: Dream of Life (2008)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Steven Sebring
- Narrated by the rock icon herself, this intimate, lyrical observation of Patti Smith's art and philosophy plays rather like a sitting through one of…
Picasso and Braque Go to the Movies (2008)
- Dir. Arne Glimcher
- Stately exploration of the influence of cinema's earliest pioneers, such as Georges Méliès, on Cubist painters Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque.…
Rem Koolhaas: A Kind of Architect (2008)
- Dir. Markus Heidingsfelder
- Detailed portrait of Rem Koolhaas, the visionary Dutch architect and writer whose striking modernist creations include the Dutch Embassy in Berlin,…
Rubbings From A Live Man (2008)![Aro Favourite Aro Favourite](/img/arofavsm.gif)
- Dir. Florian Habicht
- Film–maker Florian Habicht finds the perfect portrait subject in Warwick Broadhead, a fiercely independent, 40–year veteran of performing…
Seraphine (2008)
- Dir. Martin Provost
Feat. Yolande Moreau, Ulrich Tukur, Anne Bennent
- Intimate, Cesar–winning portrait of troubled French artist Seraphine de Senlis, a little–known painter who worked as an impoverished…
Synecdoche, New York (2008)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Charlie Kaufman
Feat. Philip Seymour Hoffman, Samantha Morton, Catherine Keener…
- Screenwriting extraordinaire Charlie Kaufman turns his hand to directing for the first time with another amusing existential conundrum, here enjoying…
Third Richard, The (2008)
- Dir. Danny Mulheron, Sarah Stretton
- A labour of love for actor–director Danny Mulheron, this explores the life and music of his unheralded grandfather, Richard Fuchs, a gifted…
Universe of Keith Haring, The (2008)
- Dir. Christina Clausen
Feat. Keith Haring
- Celebratory portrait of the darling of the 80s New York art scene Haring revels in the accessibility of the artist as a public figure, more than…
With Gilbert and George (2008)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Julian Cole
- Poetic documentary about controversial art duo Gilbert and George, who work as a single entity and have mounted more exhibitions in museums and…
Alice Neel (2007)
- Dir. Andrew Neel
- Documentary looking at the life and art of great American portrait painter Alice Neel, made by her grandson.
Accomplished examination of the great…
Angel (2007)
- Dir. Francois Ozon
Feat. Charlotte Rampling, Sam Neill, Lucy Russell…
- Pretty costume drama follows the fortunes of an aspiring lady writer in Edwardian England.
Based on the novel by Elizabeth Taylor (MRS PALFREY AT…
Becoming Jane (2007)
- Dir. Julian Jarrold
Feat. Anne Hathaway, James McAvoy, Julie Walters…
- The early chapters of Jane Austen’s literary life are dramatised in this rose–tinted biopic of her formative romantic…
Big Picture, The (TV Series) (2007)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Commentator Hamish Keith brings New Zealand’s imposing arts history down to earth in this appealing, highly accessible reappraisal of everything…
Black, White and Gray (2007)
- Dir. James Crump
- Stilted documentary investigating the relationship between controversial photographers Sam Wagstaff and Robert Mapplethorpe and their influence on…
Caravaggio (2007)
- Dir. Angelo Longoni
Feat. Alessio Boni, Elena Sofia Ricci, Jordi Molla…
- The tumultuous and adventurous life of Michelangelo Merisi, controversial artist, called by Fate to become the immortal Caravaggio. A violent genius…
Celebration: Yves Saint Laurent (2007)
- Dir. Olivier Meyrou
- Intimate portrait of Yves Saint–Laurent, focussing on the legendary fashion designer's final show, as well as his complex relationship with…
Chris and Don - A Love Story (Chris & Don) (2007)
- Dir. Guido Santi, Tina Mascara
- Love–letter–as–documentary recounting the poignant 33–year relationship between novelist Christopher Isherwood (author of…
Chuck Close (2007)
- Dir. Marion Cajori
- The revered New York portraitist, famous for his giant photorealist heads (typically well over two metres in height), is the subject of this…
Flightless: Bill Hammond's Cure for Being Kiwi (2007)
- Dir. Alan D'Arcy Erson
Feat. Ian Hughes
- An intriguing blend of drama and documentary are used to tell the story of an everyman who's life is falling apart at the seams when he is…
Garbage Warrior (2007)
- Dir. Oliver Hodge
- Revealing documentary featuring eco architect Michael Reynolds who has spent the past three decades creating sustainable housing in the New Mexico…
Genius of Photography (TV Series) (2007)![Aro Favourite Aro Favourite](/img/arofavsm.gif)
- Stunningly comprehensive six–part series that looks at the world's most influential art form, from the pioneering days of daguerreotypes right…
Glass: A Portrait Of Philip In Twelve Parts (2007)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Scott Hicks
Feat. Philip Glass
- Epic doco of seminal composer Glass covers his life, influences, and his working process.
Filmed over 3 continents in 18 months, this is hugely…
Gravy, The (TV Series) (2007)
- Insightful local arts magazine–style series made by Sticky Pictures for the now defunct TVNZ 7 channel that was a “30 minute tour through…
Lagerfeld Confidential (2007)
- Dir. Rodolphe Marconi
Feat. Nicole Kidman
- Fleeting documentary revealing the enigmatic life of iconic fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld through his creative livelihood and personal philosophy.…
Lovely Rita - A Painter's Life (2007)
- Dir. Gaylene Preston
Feat. Loren Taylor (Horsley)
- Evocative, celebratory remembrance of New Zealand’s Rita Angus, told primarily through a collection of over 300 letters the artist wrote to…
Manufactured Landscapes (2007)![Aro Favourite Aro Favourite](/img/arofavsm.gif)
- Dir. Jennifer Baichwal
- Astounding 'environmental' documentary centering on the landscape photography of Edward Burtynsky, whose large–scale images of…
Murder Party (2007)
- Dir. Jeremy Saulnier
Feat. Alex Barnett, Macon Blair, Paul Goldblatt…
- Fairly wretched horror comedy about a loner who crashes a Halloween party and finds himself at the mercy of a group of deranged NY artists determined…
My Kid Could Paint That (2007)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Amir Bar-Lev
- The story of a 4–year–old art "prodigy" turns into a controversial debate when it becomes apparent that her abstract brushwork may well…
Note By Note: The Making of Steinway L1037 (2007)![Aro Favourite Aro Favourite](/img/arofavsm.gif)
- Dir. Ben Niles
- A ‘making of’ documentary in the most literal sense, this follows the production process of a hand–crafted grand piano, as it passes down…
Obscene (2007)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Daniel O'Connor, Neil Ortenberg
- The definitive film biography of Barney Rosset, the influential publisher of Grove Press and the Evergreen Review, this charts his tumultuous career…
Quest For the Real Middle Earth, The (2007)
- Feat. Ian Holm
- In–depth doco narrated by Sir Ian Holm (Bilbo in LORD OF THE RINGS) investigating the British locations and European languages that inspired…
Starting Out in the Evening (2007)
- Dir. Andrew Wagner
Feat. Frank Langella, Lauren Ambrose, Lili Taylor…
- An aging, all–but–forgotten author (Langella) finds himself the object of an eager grad student’s attention when she decides to make…
Strange Culture (2007)
- Dir. Lynn Hershman-Leeson
Feat. Thomas Jay Ryan, Tilda Swinton, Peter Coyote
- Topical and important docu–drama focusing on the charges of bio–terrorism brought against acclaimed artist Steve Kurtz after his wife's…
Tim Marlow On...Henry Moore at Kew (2007)
- Feat. Tim Marlow
- Tim Marlow ventures outdoors this time to present the highlights from Henry Moore's exhibition at Kew Gardens. Marlow gracefully explains the themes…
Tim Marlow On...The National Gallery's Grand Tour (2007)
- Feat. Tim Marlow
- A fresh look at some of the world's greatest paintings displayed for a short time at a temporary gallery – the streets of London. Art critic…
Trumbo (2007)
- Dir. Peter Askin
Feat. Joan Allen, Michael Douglas, Donald Sutherland…
- Prominent blacklisted screenwriter Dalton Trumbo – the most famed of the alleged Communist sympathising ‘Hollywood 10’ – is the honoree of…
Walk Into The Sea, A (Danny Williams and the Warhol Factory) (2007)
- Dir. Esther Robinson
- Peripheral Factory filmmaker and one–time Warhol lover Danny Williams is the subject of this intriguing doco directed by his niece, which…
Absolute Wilson (2006)
- Dir. Katharina Otto
- Detailed, digestible documentary about the life and times of renowned experimental theatre director, Robert Wilson.
Charting Wilson’s…
Annie Leibovitz: Life Through a Lens (2006)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Barbara Leibovitz
- Gratifying portrait of the life and career of trail–blazing superstar photographer Annie Leibovitz, directed by her sister who exposes select…
Ans Westra - Private Journeys/Public Signposts (2006)![Aro Favourite Aro Favourite](/img/arofavsm.gif)
- Dir. Luit Bieringa
- Photographer laureate Ans Westra takes to the other side of the camera in this insightful, contemplative retrospective of her photography, and…
Art School Confidential (2006)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Terry Zwigoff
Feat. Max Minghella, Sophia Myles, John Malkovich…
- CRUMB dir. Terry Zwigoff and comic book icon Daniel Clowes (GHOST WORLD) re–team for this darkly set, though often hilarious stakeout of the…
Bacon's Arena (2006)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Adam Low
- Truly 'definitive' portrait of 20th Century painter Francis Bacon, commissioned by his Estate to mark the centenary of his birth.
Dir. Low takes…
Bergman Island (2006)
- Dir. Marie Nyreröd
Feat. Ingmar Bergman
- Just four years before his death, legendary filmmaker Ingmar Bergman sits down at his home on Fårö Island to discuss his work, his fears, his…
Buy the Ticket, Take the Ride (2006)
- Dir. Tom Thurman
Feat. Gary Busey, John Cusack, Benicio Del Toro…
- Definitive documentary about the life and death of the late, great gonzo himself, Hunter S. Thompson.
Visuals draw heavily on clips, including…
Cats of Mirikitani, The (2006)
- Dir. Linda Hattendorf
- Tenderly constructed documentary revealing the compelling life of a homeless artist living on the streets of NYC who survived an internment camp,…
Factory Girl (2006)
- Dir. George Hickenlooper
Feat. Sienna Miller, Hayden Christensen, Guy Pearce…
- Sienna Miller plays the ill–fated Warhol 'superstar' Edie Sedgwick in this flashy, precocious portrait of her rise and fall out of the New York…
Francesco's Italy Top to Toe (TV Series) (2006)
- Further travels with charismatic Italian architect Francesco da Mosto, here giving a sweeping tour of the art, history and beauty of greater Italy by…
Fur (2006)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Steven Shainberg
Feat. Nicole Kidman, Robert Downey Jnr.
- Taking fictional liberties with the real–life character of revered New York photographer Diane Arbus, the dir. of SECRETARY fashions another…
Goya's Ghosts (2006)
- Dir. Milos Forman
Feat. Javier Bardem, Natalie Portman, Stellan Skarsgard…
- A lavish, if ill–designed costume epic based around Spanish artist Francisco Goya (Skarsgard), his closest acquaintances, and the eventful late…
Helvetica (2006)![Aro Favourite Aro Favourite](/img/arofavsm.gif)
- Dir. Gary Hustwit
- Treading unique, uncharted documentary territory is this lively case study on the ubiquitous typeface Helvetica, loved and loathed in equal parts for…
Impressionists, The (TV Mini-series) (2006)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Tim Dunn
Feat. Richard Armitage, Andrew Havill, Julian Glover…
- A mini–series presentation of the intimate history of a most illustrious brotherhood of Impressionist artists – Monet, Degas, Renoir,…
Magical World of Misery, The (2006)
- A short documentary on the creations and career of New Zealander Tanya Thompson (a.k.a. 'Misery'), who began as a hip graffiti artist and has gone to…
Marcello, A Sweet Life (Marcello, una vita dolce) (2006)
- Dir. Mario Canale, Annarosa Morri
- Sincere Italian documentary exploring the life of great Italian actor Marcello Mastroianni through archival footage and testimonials from his…
Miss Potter (2006)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Chris Noonan
Feat. Renee Zellweger, Ewan McGregor, Emily Watson
- Charming biopic tells the tale of Beatrix Potter – specifically the story of the woman behind the drawings – and her fixation from a…
Most Beautiful Women in Paris 2007, The (2006)
- Dir. Herve Lewis
- Fashion industry guru Herve Lewis revives his love of black–and–white photograpy in this sensuous homage to the beauty of women. Lewis'…
New Oceania, The (2006)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Shirley Horrocks
- Dir. Shirley Horrocks continues her excellent series on local artists and literary figures with an enthralling study of 'South Pacific' writer Albert…
Power of Art (TV Series) (2006)![Aro Favourite Aro Favourite](/img/arofavsm.gif)
- A scholarly, and indeed powerful, roam through art history’s seminal figures, with knowledge imparted by the revered Simon Schama.
Disc 1…
Tenants, The (2006)
- Dir. Danny Green
Feat. Dylan McDermott, Snoop Dogg, Rose Byrne…
- Gripping drama about two ambitious writers – one black, one white – who spar in an abandoned New York tenement block.
McDermott plays…
Tim Marlow On...The Highlights of the New Tate Modern (2006)
- Dir. Phil Grabsky
Feat. Tim Marlow
- Art critic Tim Marlow presents a guided tour of the highlights of the New Tate Modern.
In his accessible and intelligent style, Marlow dissects…
Unfolding Florence (The Many Lives of Florence Broadhurst) (2006)
- Dir. Gillian Armstrong
- Profiling eccentric Sydney personality Florence Broadhurst, dir. Gillian Armstrong reveals the lives less ordinary of Australia’s leading interior…
Who the #$&% is Jackson Pollock? (Who the Fuck is Jackson Pollock?) (2006)
- Dir. Harry Moses
- Good–natured yet revealing art–world expose concerning 73–year–old trucker Teri Horton’s acquisition of a $5 thrift store…
Agatha Christie Code, The (2005)
- Covertly analytical doco, narrated by Joanna Lumley, investigating exactly what made Agatha Christie the world's second best selling author (after…
Garbo (2005)
- Dir. Kevin Brownlow, Christopher Bird
Feat. Greta Garbo
- A portrait of the luminous, reclusive and mystifying star Greta Garbo, co–directed by filmmaker and historian Kevin Brownlow (BUSTER KEATON…
Girl in a Mirror (2005)
- Dir. Kathy Drayton
- An acclaimed tribute to the life and times of Australian Carol Jerrems, who from the late–1960s onwards rose to fame as a gifted photographer…
How Art Made the World (2005)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Flying in the face of Simon Schama's higher, learned arts emporium, this illuminating and invigorating study of human nature through art considers…
Jisoe (2005)
- Dir. Eddie Martin
- Through the expression of graffiti art, Justin Hughes’ (aka Jisoe) daily plight is explored in this social commentary on Australia’s…
Junebug (2005)![Aro Favourite Aro Favourite](/img/arofavsm.gif)
- Dir. Phil Morrison
Feat. Embeth Davidtz, Alessandro Nivola, Amy Adams…
- An enchanting indie gem about an art–dealer whose pursuit of an 'outsider artist' in backwoods North Carolina prompts various life crises,…
Klimt (2005)
- Dir. Raul Ruiz
Feat. John Malkovich, Veronica Ferres, Stephen Dillane…
- Chilean director Raul Ruiz' typically idiosyncratic biopic about the life of the Austrian painter Gustav Klimt (1862–1918) told in a series of…
Matthew Barney - No Restraint (2005)
- Dir. Alison Chernick
Feat. Matthew Barney, Bjork
- Uber–conceptual artist Matthew Barney boarded a Japanese whaling ship, replete with 45,000 pounds of petroleum jelly, in this documentary…
Michelangelo Superstar (2005)
- Dir. Wolfgang Ebert, Martin Papirowski
- The agony and ecstasy of Michaelangelo’s twin passions – life and art – are examinedin this study of his artistic legacy and…
Sketches of Frank Gehry (2005)
- Dir. Sydney Pollack
- Heaping praise on acclaimed architect Frank Gehry, Hollywood filmmaker Sydney Pollack crafts a loving, unashamed ode to his close friend and mentor…
That Man: Peter Berlin (2005)
- Dir. Jim Tushinski
- Documentary about Peter Berlin, the model, porn star, photographer, film maker, clothing designer and gay cultural phenomenon. Told in his own words…
Tim Marlow On...The Museum of Modern Art (2005)
- Dir. Phil Grabsky
Feat. Tim Marlow
- This 2–part series provides an introduction to the highlights of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. Art critic Tim Marlow takes us on a…
Who Laughs Last? (2005)
- Dir. Shirley Horrocks
- Short but informative documentary about New Zealand's most successful playwright, Roger Hall. Covers his long career writing for both the stage and…
Allie Eagle and Me (2004)
- Dir. Briar March
- A portrait of an artist, dir. Briar March's highly personalised dedication to Allie Eagle confronts the painter's staunch feminist and lesbian…
Andy Goldsworthy - Rivers and Tides (2004)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Thomas Riedelsheimer
- Visually beautiful, though essentially straightforward documentary on the Scottish landscape sculptor Andy Goldsworthy, who creates his work out of…
Brother to Brother (2004)
- Dir. Rodney Evans
Feat. Anthony Mackie, Larry Gilliard, Jr, Duane Boutte…
- Heartfelt drama delves deep into the quagmire of identity politics in its depiction of the challenges faced by gay black artists in America set both…
Colin McCahon: I Am (2004)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Paul Swadel
Feat. Sam Neill
- A sterling examination of the life and work of New Zealand's most renowned modern artist, Colin McCahon, who was born in 1919 and blossomed into a…
Derek Jarman: Life as Art (2004)
- Dir. Andy Kimpton-Nye
Feat. Tilda Swinton, Nigel Terry
- Maddeningly conventional portrait of the iconoclastic director is lacking Jarman's own formal audaciousness, and is too often a clunky mix of talking…
Five Obstructions, The (5 Obstructions) (2004)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Lars Von Trier, Jorgen Leth
Feat. Claus Nissen, Jorgen Leth
- Arthouse big–shot Lars Von Trier pays off another gambit with what turns out to be a stimulating rumination on the process of film–making…
Frank Hurley - The Man Who Made History (2004)
- Dir. Simon Nasht
- A probing documentary about the renowned pioneer of cinema documentary who specialised in extreme environments or ethnographic subjects, most…
How We Ruined the Italian Movie Business (Come inguaiammo il cinema italiano) (2004)
- Sprawling Italian documentary telling the story of Franco Franchi and Ciccio Ingrassia, a treasured comedy duo from Sicily who began their careers as…
In the Realms of the Unreal (2004)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Jessica Yu
- The art of Henry Darger is brought to life in this absorbing document of closeted genius, rediscovering the work of an elderly recluse who, upon his…
Jeff Koons Show, The (2004)
- The life and work of polarising contemporary artist Jeff Koons is examined in this insightful, if uncritical documentary portrait. Curators,…
Marti - The Passionate Eye (2004)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Shirley Horrocks
- A celebratory savour of the life and times of New Zealand photographer Marti Friedlander, who arrived from England in 1958 and proceeded to document…
Modigliani (2004)
- Dir. Mick Davis
Feat. Andy Garcia, Elsa Zylberstein
- The debauched final years of painter Amedeo Modigliani (Garcia) – he of the famous paintings of almond–eyed women – are conveyed…
Monster Road (2004)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Brett Ingram
- A revealing peek into the strange world of Bruce Bickford, a reclusive self–taught animator, most famous for his collaborations with Frank…
Star Portraits with Rolf Harris (TV Series) (2004)
- Under Rolf Harris’ artistic guidance, this unique art show commissions three professional artists to paint a portrait of a guest celebrity –…
Une Visite au Louvre (2004)
- Dir. Jean-Marie Straub, Daniele Huillet
- A rigorous, if oddly illuminating art film about art, with Cézanne's own personal critiques of art narrated over a series of Louvre artworks, shot…
Vincent: The Full Story (2004)
- Dir. Mark James
- Expertly assembled documentary of the great artist drawing on his early life –including previously untold accounts – and following…
Wrestling With The Angel - Janet Frame (2004)
- An unique insight into Janet Frame's private world, accurately framing her childhood years, psychiatric institutionalisation, and eventual freedom…
Art: 21 (TV Series) (Art in the 21st Century) (2003)
- A PBS documentary series looking at visual art in America in the 21st century, eliciting some fascinating insights from various creative types.…
Brush With Fate (2003)
- Dir. Brent Shields
Feat. Glenn Close, Ellen Burstyn, Thomas Gibson…
- A cloistered prep school teacher (Close) reveals to a colleague (Gibson) that she is in possession of a lost painting – 'Girl in Hyancinth…
Bukowski - Born Into This (2003)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. John Dullaghan
- Hailed as the "definitive" documentary on the cult novelist and poet Charles Bukowski, whose insights into skidrow Los Angeles in the 1950s and 60s…
Frazetta - Painting With Fire (2003)
- Dir. Lance Laspina
- Trail–blazing illustrator and comic artist Frank Frazetta is under the spotlight in this documentary on his life and work, showcasing his…
Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Peter Webber
Feat. Scarlett Johansson, Colin Firth, Tom Wilkinson…
- A superior dramatic conceit that speculates on the background to Johannes Vermeer's enigmatic 17th century portrait of the title.
Johannson plays…
In Search of Shakespeare (2003)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Presenter Michael Wood and award–winning director Greg Doran investigate the world of William Shakespeare. Using backstage recreations of…
Leonardo (TV Mini-series) (+ The Divine Michelangelo) (2003)
- Feat. Mark Rylance
- Three–part BBC docu–drama exploring the life of Italian polymath Leonardo da Vinci, from early childhood to his death in 1519. Dramatic…
My Architect - A Son's Journey (2003)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Nathaniel Kahn
- A thoroughly intriguing documentary about the Jewish American architect Louis Kahn (born in Estonia) who struggling for years to be recognised,…
Photography As Told By Life Magazine (Photography Life) (2003)
- Dir. David Hoffman
- Life Magazine's 50th Anniversary is celebrated with this passionate documentary, which showcases the the work of 15 of the magazine's greatest…
Plaster Caster (2003)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Jessica Villines
- Groovy "cockumentary" tracing the colourful career of artist and super–groupie Cynthia Albritton, who became infamous for making commemorative…
Private Life of a Masterpiece, The (TV Series) (2003)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Expansive, all–encompassing art history as tackled by the BBC, canvassing masterpieces from the Renaissance era through to 20th Century works…
Secrets of Middle-Earth: Inside Tolkien's Lord of the Rings (2003)
- Dir. Chris Gormlie
- An extensive documentary on J R R Tolkien's 'Lord of the Rings', in which various experts comment on the story, its composition and themes, throwing…
Sylvia (2003)
- Dir. Christine Jeffs
Feat. Gwyneth Paltrow, Daniel Craig, Blythe Danner…
- A simply formed, yet resonant portrait of the brilliant, doomed poet Sylvia Plath (Paltrow), recounting her years of marriage to (also poet) Ted…
Tintin et Moi (Tintin and Me) (2003)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Anders Ostergaard
- Fascinating and probably definitive look at the life and work of Hergé, the Belgian comicbook artist who from the 1930s onwards created the graphic…
Andy Warhol - The Complete Picture (2002)
- Dir. Chris Rodley
- Commendable TV documentary on the multi–talented Warhol, provides updated information and fresh interviews from various associates.…
Chihwaseon (Painted Fire) (2002)
- Dir. Kwon-taek Im
Feat. Min-sik Choi, Sung-kee Ahn
- A mainstay of Korean cinema, Im Kwon–taek helms this impassioned portrait of one of the country's most celebrated painters, Jang…
Frida (2002)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Julie Taymor
Feat. Salma Hayek, Alfred Molina, Ashley Judd…
- Long awaited biopic of the celebrated 20th–century Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, whose troubled marriage to Diego Riviera and crippling injuries…
Goya: Crazy Like a Genius (2002)
- Renowned art critic Robert Hughes explores the world of Francisco Goya, charting his achievements as a court painter, satirist and war reporter, as…
Hours, The (2002)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Stephen Daldry
Feat. Nicole Kidman, Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore…
- Michael Cunningham’s Pulitzer–prize winning novel is brought to the screen with excellent performances, and though simplified and not for all…
Living Room, The (TV Series) (2002-2006)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Nicely quirky and unpretentious TV series about different (mostly young) local artists living in New Zealand and overseas. Each episode is presented…
Mark Twain (2002)
- Dir. Ken Burns
- A popular humorist, philosopher and social satirist, Mark Twain was the well–known nom–de–plume of writer Samuel Clemens, the…
Max (2002)
- Dir. Menno Meyjes
Feat. John Cusack, Noah Taylor, Leelee Sobieski
- Recommendable though flawed drama, concerns a fictional friendship in 1918 Munich between budding–artist Adolf Hitler and a Jewish…
Possession (2002)
- Dir. Neil LaBute
Feat. Gwyneth Paltrow, Aaron Eckhart, Jeremy Northam…
- Faithful, though simplified adaptation of A.S. Byatt’s Booker–winning novel where two academics slowly explore a 19th century literary…
True Meaning of Pictures, The (Shelby Lee Adams' Appalachia) (2002)![Aro Favourite Aro Favourite](/img/arofavsm.gif)
- Dir. Jennifer Baichwal
- A provocative look at the work of American photographer Shelby Lee Adams, whose images of impoverished Appalachian life have earned him a reputation…
Architecture (TV Series) (2001-2005)
- Dir. Stan Neumann, Richard Copans, Frederic Compain
- Inspiring series devoted to the most ambitious creations of the 19th and 20th century. Featuring a wealth of archival material, scale–models…
Chop Suey (2001)
- Dir. Bruce Weber
- Free–form homage to Bruce Weber's favourite things and an exploration of the lives of his subjects, including the beautiful 16 year old…
Early Days Yet (2001)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Shirley Horrocks
- A quietly thoughtful and engaging look at the life and work of New Zealand poet Allen Curnow, filmed when Curnow was in his late–80s and still…
Hotere (2001)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Merata Mita
- Noted documentary on New Zealand's reclusive artist Ralph Hotere, constructed in non–linear, impressionistic style. Seven years in the making,…
Impressionists, The (2001)
- Dir. Bruce Alfred
- A two–part examination of the French Impressionist movement, in which painters like Monet, Degas and Renoir captured visual reality in a…
Iris (2001)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Richard Eyre
Feat. Kate Winslet, Judi Dench, Jim Broadbent
- Moving biopic of British novelist Iris Murdoch and her journey from literary genius to the mental wilderness of Alzheimers, that unquestionably rests…
Life With Judy Garland: Me And My Shadows (2001)
- Dir. Robert Allan Ackerman
Feat. Judy Davis, Victor Garber, Hugh Laurie…
- The amazing, slightly tragic life of Hollywood star Judy Garland is retold with Judy Davis (eventually) in the title role, in a compelling telemovie…
Pandaemonium (2001)
- Dir. Julien Temple
Feat. Samantha Morton, Linus Roache, John Hannah…
- The intense friendship between romantic poets Wordsworth (John Hannah) and Coleridge (Linus Roache) is the subject of this 18th century psychedelic…
Pinero (2001)
- Dir. Leon Ichaso
Feat. Benjamin Bratt, Rita Moreno, Giancarlo Esposito…
- Biopic of the controversial Puerto Rican poet Miguel Pinero, whose play 'Short Eyes' and NYC junkie lifestyle propelled him to brief fame, before he…
Caveman's Valentine, The (2000)
- Dir. Kasi Lemmons
Feat. Samuel L. Jackson, Ann Magnuson
- Dir. Lemmons follows up EVE’s BAYOU with an ambitious portrayal of classical–composer–turned–paranoid–schizophrenic Samuel…
Keep the River On Your Right (2000)
- Dir. David Shapiro, Laurie Shapiro
Feat. Tobias Schneebaum
- Pursues the bizarre experiences of one Tobias Schneebaum, a gay NYC artist, who in the 1950s sought to ‘find himself’ in the jungles of the…
Lon Chaney: A Thousand Faces (2000)
- Dir. Kevin Brownlow
Feat. Lon Chaney
- A comprehensive overview of the life and career of "Man of a Thousand Faces" Lon Chaney, one of the greatest actors of the silent era. Narrated by…
Naked States (2000)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Arlene Donnelly
- American concept–artist Spencer Tunick’s particular concept is to persuade ordinary folk to disrobe and pose in public places, often in…
Pollock (2000)
- Dir. Ed Harris
Feat. Ed Harris, Marcia Gay Harden, Amy Madigan…
- The life of ‘Abstract Expressionist’ painter Jackson Pollock, is rendered with bold, heartfelt strokes by dir. Harris in his debut effort (also…
Wonder Boys (2000)
- Dir. Curtis Hanson
Feat. Michael Douglas, Robert Downey Jnr., Tobey Maguire…
- A rumpled Michael Douglas plays an academic professor and successful author who's terminally unfinished second novel is symptomatic of midlife…
Brakhage (1999)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Jim Shedden
- Conventional, though enlightening portrait of experimental film maverick Stan Brakhage, whose work consistently pushed the boundaries of the medium…
Drawing Blood (1999)
- Dir. Sergio Lapel
- Semi–original horror from Troma (TOXIC AVENGER) about a gorgeous vampire with a penchant for sketching nude models and then drinking their…
Frank Lloyd Wright (1999)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Ken Burns
- Epic biography of America's most esteemed architect (notably of the Guggenheim Museum and the 'Prairie'–style ranch–house), whose…
Getting to Our Place (1999)
- Dir. Gaylene Preston, Anna Cotrell
- The creation of NZ’s national museum, Te Papa, was an exciting, self–conscious and fraught journey in defining the nation’s identity, this…
Nora (1999)
- Dir. Pat Murphy
Feat. Ewan McGregor, Susan Lynch
- Cliche–avoiding though at times awkward biopic of Nora Barnacle's marriage to writer James Joyce in the early 20th century. Based on the book…
Original Schtick / Schtick Happens (1999-2002)
- Dir. Maciek Wszelaki
- A stranger–than–fiction documentary following American visual artist and egotistical maniac Robert (Bob) Fischer on a bizarre tour of…
Paul Robeson: Here I Stand (1999)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. St. Clair Bourne
- Documentary exploring the life and career of Paul Robeson, the singer, actor and political activist whose distinctive bass baritone is heard on some…
Pecker (1999)
- Dir. John Waters
Feat. Edward Furlong, Christina Ricci, Lili Taylor…
- Edward Furlong is niftily cast as Pecker, an innocent teen amateur photographer who unwittingly becomes the toast of the art world, thereby inviting…
Source, The (1999)![Aro Favourite Aro Favourite](/img/arofavsm.gif)
- Dir. Chuck Workman
Feat. Johnny Depp, John Turturro, Dennis Hopper
- Superb chronicle of the ‘Beat’ movement and the work of its founding fathers – Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, William Burroughs – and their…
Henry Fool (1998)
- Dir. Hal Hartley
Feat. Thomas Jay Ryan, Parker Posey, James Urbaniak…
- Hal Hartley gathers several unlikely narrative threads concerning a bottled–up trashman composing an epic poem while under the spell of…
Illuminata (1998)
- Dir. John Turturro
Feat. Beverly D'Angelo, Susan Sarandon, Rufus Sewell…
- A backstage drama set in New York in the early 1900s, with Turturro as a playwright struggling to get his latest effort on stage. With a dozen…
Marquise (1998)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Vera Belmont
Feat. Sophie Marceau
- Bawdy, naturalistically–styled period romp about the artistic clashes between playwrights Moliere and Racine at the court of Louis XIV. Sophie…
Mouth Wide Open (1998)
- Dir. Jonathan Dennis
- A portrait of pioneering NZ camera person and inventor Ted Coubray, who was one of the first people in Australasia to use a sound camera. Offers a…
Parting Shots (1998)
- Dir. Michael Winner
Feat. Chris Rea, Bob Hoskins, Ben Kingsley…
- Once–fashionable photographer Chris Rea finds out he only has months to live, and decides to get his own back at those that have made his life…
Peter Beard: Scrapbooks from Africa and Beyond (1998)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Guillaume Bonn, Jean-Claude Luyat
Feat. Charlotte Rampling
- Expansive documentary presenting the life and career of one of the world's greatest adventure photographers and painters.
Covers the major…
Turandot Project, The (1998)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Allan Miller
Feat. Zhang Yimou, Zubin Mehta
- The glorious insanity of Italian opera defeats all obstacles in this amusing behind–the–scenes account of a gigantic international…
Velvet Dreams (1998)
- Dir. Sima Urale
- Director Sima Urale presents this short documentary investigating the world of 'velvet paintings' by traversing the Pacific to talk to artists and…
Artemisia (1997)
- Dir. Agnes Merlet
Feat. Valentina Cervi, Miki Manojlovic, Michel Serrault
- Study of the first significant female painter, Artemisia Gentileschi, the daughter of Caravaggio's one–time assistant in 17th Century…
Marcello Mastroianni: I Remember (1997)
- Dir. Anna Maria Tato
- Documentary about iconic Italian actor Marcello Mastroianni, providing a full–career portrait across an indulgent 3+ hours.
Based on…
Surviving Picasso (1997)
- Dir. James Ivory
Feat. Anthony Hopkins, Natascha McElhone, Julianne Moore…
- Anthony Hopkins acts his beret off in this portrait of the insatiable, cantankerous Spanish genius and the trail of emotional devastation he left…
Basquiat (1996)
- Dir. Julian Schnabel
Feat. Jeffrey Wright, David Bowie, Gary Oldman…
- The director sends a post–mortem loveletter to his friend and contemporary, Jean–Michel Basquiat, a celebrated but fragile New York black…
Beaumarchais (1996)
- Dir. Edouard Molinaro
Feat. Fabrice Luchini, Sandrine Kiberlain
- Wigs and quippery at the ready, this is 18th century French history conceived in vivacious strokes of social satire and perfumed with a savoury wit,…
Hone Tuwhare (1996)
- Dir. Gaylene Preston
- The late poet laureate, Hone Tuwhare, is captured in this affectionate, candidly observed portrait of an artist. Filmed by Gaylene Preston in the…
I Shot Andy Warhol (1996)![Aro Favourite Aro Favourite](/img/arofavsm.gif)
- Dir. Mary Harron
Feat. Lili Taylor, Jared Harris, Martha Plimpton
- Both an absorbing time capsule of Warhol's 'factory' ultra–decadence and a gutsy portrait of extremism and delusion. Lili Taylor is a dynamo of…
Transformers (1996)
- Dir. Shirley Horrocks
- A short documentary about a mid–1990s international art exhibition which showcased works that 'transform' in various ways (create music, grow,…
Flip and Two Twisters (1995)
- Dir. Shirley Horrocks
- Exploring NZ film–maker Len Lye's other outstanding talent, this documents the ongoing quest to build full–size versions of his…
For Love or Money (1995)
- Dir. Shirley Horrocks
- An interesting documentary about the 1990s New Zealand art scene, in particular the rise in number of those collecting art, whether for pleasure or…
Lumiere and Company (1995)
- Dir. Various
- Fitting homage to those pioneers of filmmaking, the Lumiere Brothers, made on Cinema’s Centennial celebrations in 1995. Forty directors were asked…
Paris Was a Woman (1995)
- Dir. Greta Schiller
- Capturing a distinct ambience of early 20th century Paris, this feminist–orientated look at American–Parisians such as Gertrude Stein,…
Crumb (1994)![Aro Favourite Aro Favourite](/img/arofavsm.gif)
- Dir. Terry Zwigoff
- Remarkable portrait of controversial cartoonist and non–conformist Robert Crumb. Documented over six years, his friend Terry Zwigoff manages to…
Sirens (1994)
- Dir. John Duigan
Feat. Hugh Grant, Sam Neill, Elle MacPherson…
- Catholic minister Hugh Grant and wife are sent to rural Australia to dissuade renegade artist Sam Neill from painting 'pornography'. As an 'Elle…
Tom and Viv (1994)
- Dir. Brian Gilbert
Feat. Willem Dafoe, Miranda Richardson
- A moving exploration of the intense yet painful relationship between Nobel prize–winning poet T.S. Eliot (Willem Dafoe) and his lovably…
Shadowlands (1993)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Richard Attenborough
Feat. Anthony Hopkins, Debra Winger
- Anthony Hopkins is terrific as academic and children's author C.S. Lewis, who discovers a well of unfathomable emotion when his American divorcee…
Daddy and the Muscle Academy (The Art, Life and Times of Tom of Finland) (1992)
- Dir. Ilppa Pohjola
- A fascinating delve into the mind of cult gay artist 'Tom of Finland', whose iconic hyper–masculine images of muscled, uniformed men and women,…
Masterpieces of the Hermitage (TV Series) (1992)
- A breathtaking tour through the State Hermitage Museum of St. Petersberg, home to some three million works of art. Begining with the 14th century…
Sister Wendy - The Complete Collection (TV Series) (1992)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Strangely intriguing series hosted by Sister Wendy Beckett – an endearingly impish nun with a passion for paintings who takes her viewers on a…
La Belle Noiseuse (1991)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Jacques Rivette
Feat. Michel Piccoli, Emmanuelle Beart
- Rivette's four–hour portrait of an artist as an old man explores the process and politics of a retired artist painting a nude model. Subtle,…
Liebestraum (1991)
- Dir. Mike Figgis
Feat. Kevin Anderson, Pamela Gidley, Kim Novak
- The dir.'s followup to INTERNAL AFFAIRS is an art–thriller about an architect drawn into a noir–ish puzzle of murder, fate and…
Meeting Venus (1991)
- Dir. Istvan Szabo
Feat. Glenn Close, Niels Arestrup
- Glenn Close plays a Swedish diva (miming to our Dame Kiri) entangled in personal and political problems whilst leading in Wagner's Tannhauser.
Pleasures and Dangers (1991)
- A glance at the work and lives of six women artists in New Zealand; Alexis Hunter (painter), Alison MacLean (film–maker), Julia Morison…
Quince Tree Sun, The (1991)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Victor Erice
Feat. Antonio Garcia
- Quietly–paced, fascinating semi–documentary about Spanish painter Antonio Garcia and his attempts to capture the effects of light falling…
Superstar - The Life and Times of Andy Warhol (1991)
- Dir. Chuck Workman
Feat. Andy Warhol, Dennis Hopper
- Told through the words of friends and admirers like Dennis Hopper, David Hockney, Tom Wolfe and Sylvia Miles, the life behind the enigmatic visage of…
Van Gogh (1991)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Maurice Pialat
Feat. Jacques Dutronc
- The ultra–naturalistic style of Maurice Pialat may not seem the best choice for a costume drama about probably the most–often filmed…
An Angel at My Table (1990)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Jane Campion
Feat. Kerry Fox
- Multi–award winning adaptation of Janet Frame's three autobiographies, deserving of its big reputation through compassionate storytelling and…
Henry and June (1990)
- Dir. Philip Kaufman
Feat. Maria de Medeiros, Fred Ward, Uma Thurman
- From the diaries of French author Anais Nin, her steamy and stormy adventures with American writer Henry Miller and his wife are lensed to perfection.
Vincent and Theo (1990)
- Dir. Robert Altman
Feat. Tim Roth
- This biopic charts the relationship between the tortured artist and his patron brother, with sympathetic direction and Tim Roth's performance as…
Camille Claudel (1988)
- Dir. Bruno Nuytten
Feat. Isabelle Adjani, Gerard Depardieu, Alain Cuny
- Intense, robust biopic of the French artist and lover of fellow sculptor, Auguste Rodin. Their tumultuous affair is passionately incarnated by…
Moderns, The (1988)![Aro Favourite Aro Favourite](/img/arofavsm.gif)
- Dir. Alan Rudolph
Feat. Keith Carradine, Linda Fiorentino, John Lone…
- A witty and exquisite recreation of Paris in the 1920s, complete with the ‘lost generation’ of Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein and F Scott…
Rowing with the Wind (1988)
- Dir. Gonzalo Suárez
Feat. Hugh Grant, Elizabeth Hurley, Lizzy McInnerny…
- Earnest dramatisation of Mary Shelley's relationship with Lord Byron and Percy Bysshe Shelley while in the midst of conceiving her famed novel…
Ebony Tower, The (1987)
- Dir. Robert Knights
Feat. Laurence Olivier, Roger Rees, Greta Scacchi…
- Self–conscious but watchable satire has a young art critic finding himself attracted to the unusual lifestyle of a reclusive painter. Based on…
Caravaggio (1986)
- Dir. Derek Jarman
Feat. Noam Almaz, Dawn Archibald, Sean Bean
- A stylised, impressionistic biopic of the controversial bisexual artist from the Italian renaissance. The film is similarly cryptic, bold and…
Sunday in the Park with George (1986)
- Dir. Terry Hughes
Feat. Mandy Patinkin, Bernadette Peters, Barbara Bryne
- Movie adaptation of the musical by Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine, about a painter who immerses himself in creating a masterpiece. Inspired by…
Louie Bluie (1985)
- Dir. Terry Zwigoff
- The feature debut of director Terry Zwigoff (CRUMB) explores the life and music of William Howard Taft Armstrong, (known as Louie Bluie), a blues…
Mishima - A Life in Four Chapters (1985)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Paul Schrader
Feat. Ken Ogata
- Fascinating study of the controversial Japanese author/militarist whose desire to merge life and art led to his ritualistic suicide. A luminous…
Antonio Gaudi (1984)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Hiroshi Teshigahara
- The aesthetic worlds of architect Antonio Gaudi and Japanese visualist Teshigahara (WOMAN OF THE DUNES) collide with spectacular results in this…
Grasp Of Wind, A (1984)
- Dir. Robert Franken, Russell Campbell
Feat. Neal Gunn
- Dutch born New Zealand visual artist Robert Franken's one–and–only directorial effort is a quietly surreal, wordless fable in which a…
Mistral's Daughter (Mini-series) (1984)
- Feat. Stefanie Powers, Robert Urich, Lee Remick…
- Blubbery, melodramatic saga of three generations of women by way of artist Julien Mistral. Based on a novel by Judith Krantz.
Sunday in the Country, A (1984)
- Dir. Bertrand Tavernier
Feat. Louis Ducreux, Sabine Azema, Michel Aumont…
- An elderly painter invites his family to his country villa; in a single day their happinesses and sorrows come to be expressed. Subtle, intelligent…
Draughtsman's Contract, The (1982)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Peter Greenaway
Feat. Anthony Higgins, Janet Suzman
- A 17th Century painter is commissioned to draw the estate of a rich mistress, who in return endows him with certain liberties. A bizarre and…
Passion (1982)
- Dir. Jean-Luc Godard
Feat. Isabelle Huppert, Hanna Schygulla, Michel Piccoli
- 'Film within a film' from France's thorniest director, sowing narrative confusion in his story of director Michel Piccoli trying to make a arthouse…
Islands in the Stream (1977)
- Dir. Franklin J. Schaffner
Feat. George C. Scott, David Hemmings, Gilbert Roland…
- Solid, well–constructed adaptation of one of the more thoughtful Hemingway novels, with Scott as the sculptor who chooses to live in exile on a…
Tribal Eye, The (TV Series) (1975)
- Feat. David Attenborough
- New release of Sir David Attenborough's classic 1975 series exploring aspects of tribal art from indigenous communities all over the world –…
5 Films About Christo and Jeanne-Claude (Christo's Valley Curtain, Running Fence, Islands, Christo in Paris, Umbrellas) (1974-1995)![Aro Favourite Aro Favourite](/img/arofavsm.gif)
- Dir. Albert Maysles, David Maysles
- The complete set of filmic documentations by the Maysles brothers (and various other directors) on the French concept–sculptors Christo and his…
Bigger Splash, A (1974)
- Dir. Jack Hazan
- A whimsical, unconventional doco, interweaving the somewhat vacuous daily life of English painter David Hockney and his retinue, with the formal…
Edvard Munch (1974)
- Dir. Peter Watkins
- Norwegian painter Munch's life and artistic genius is portrayed here in an original and hypnotic synthesis of documentary and drama, by acclaimed…
Painters Painting (1973)![Aro Favourite Aro Favourite](/img/arofavsm.gif)
- Dir. Emile de Antonio
- Both a beginner's and connoisseur's guide to "Abstract Expressionism", this excellent 70's documentary provides satiating first hand insights from…
Ciao! Manhattan (Edie) (1972)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Sam Green, David Weisman
Feat. Roger Vadim, Isabel Jewell, Viva
- The notorious documentary portrait of Andy Warhol 'superstar' Edie Sedgwick, whose beguiling good looks and dissolute lifestyle came to symbolise the…
We Won't Grow Old Together (Nous Ne Vieillirons Pas Ensemble) (1972)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Maurice Pialat
Feat. Marlène Jobert, Jean Yanne, Christine Fabréga…
- A uniquely disquieting film covering the dissolution of an affair between an aged filmmaker and a much younger secretary, based on French director…
Civilisation (TV Series) (1969)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- "Not a history of the arts, but a history of life–giving beliefs and ideas made visible and audible through the medium of art." Kenneth Clark's…
Hour Of The Wolf (Vargtimmen) (1968)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Max von Sydow, Liv Ullmann
- One of dir. Bergman's most troubled visions, this concerns the descent of an unstable artist (von Sydow) and his sensitive wife (Ullmann) into a…
Trip, The (1967)
- Dir. Roger Corman
Feat. Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, Susan Strasberg…
- One of several collaborations between director Roger Corman and Jack Nicholson, who wrote the screenplay. A director of TV commercials gradually…
Andrei Rublev (1966)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Andrei Tarkovsky
Feat. Anatoli Solonitsyn, Ivan Lapikov, Nikolai Grinko
- Enthralling historical drama vividly portrays the 15th Century Russian painter who was encumbered by the political turbulence of the time.
Agony and the Ecstasy, The (1965)
- Dir. Carol Reed
Feat. Charlton Heston, Rex Harrison, Diane Cilento
- Hollywood portrait of Michelangelo's struggle to paint the Sistine Chapel under the patronage of belligerent Pope Julius II. Rex Harrison fares…
Ken Russell at the BBC (Elgar; Debussy; Always on Sunday; Isadora; Dante's Inferno; Song of Summer) (1962-1968)
- Dir. Ken Russell
Feat. Oliver Reed, Vladek Sheybal, Vernon Dobtcheff…
- The engrossing early works of the controversial director comprises six of his famed artist portraits
Testament of Orpheus (Testament D'orphee) (1960)
- Dir. Jean Cocteau
Feat. Jean Cocteau, Yul Brynner, Jean-Pierre Leaud…
- Cocteau's swansong is an intensely personal odyssey, with the director himself immersed in a world of his cumulative creation. Like a moving…
Horse's Mouth, The (1958)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Ronald Neame
Feat. Alec Guinness, Kay Walsh, Renee Houston
- This impressively subtle portrait of a tortured artist stars Alec Guinness as a deteriorating painter whose pursuit of creative perfection has him on…
James Dean Story (1957)
- Dir. Robert Altman
Feat. Martin Gabel
- Martin Gabel narrates this portrait of James Dean created shortly after his death, which assembles the material available at this time, including…
Mystery of Picasso, The (1956)
- Dir. Henri-Georges Clouzot
- Famed director Henri–Georges Clouzot gains exclusive entry into Pablo Picasso's inner creative sanctum, observing the master painter at work on…
Lust for Life (1955)![Recommended Recommended](/img/arorecsm.gif)
- Dir. Vincente Minnelli
Feat. Kirk Douglas, Anthony Quinn
- Kirk Douglas makes a stirring, enthusiastic Van Gogh in this biopic, choosing to echo the empassioned melancholia of his work rather than drawing…
Houdini (1953)
- Dir. George Marshall
Feat. Tony Curtis, Janet Leigh, Torin Thatcher
- Drama exploring the life of magician and illusionist Harry Houdini, with then husband–and–wife Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh playing…
Films of Charles & Ray Eames, The (1952-1982)
- A collection of the cinematic work of Charles and Ray Eames, the 20th century industrial designers and married couple, who channelled their separate…
Hans Christian Andersen (1952)
- Dir. Charles Vidor
Feat. Danny Kaye, Farley Granger
- A fabricated musical 'biopic' of the famed 19th century Danish fairytale writer, sees him (played by Danny Kaye) smile through a succession of…
Moulin Rouge (1952)
- Dir. John Huston
Feat. Jose Ferrer, Colette Marchand, Suzanne Flon…
- Opulently staged fictional biopic of Toulouse–Lautrec, highlighted by a dazzling can–can sequence. The pint–sized French painter is…
Blood of a Poet (1930)
- Dir. Jean Cocteau
Feat. Lee Miller, Pauline Carton
- Cocteau's first film is a surrealist gem that sewed the seeds of his style. The Dali/Bunuel influence is clear, but this goes one step further with…
Michael (Mikael) (1924)
- Dir. Carl Theodor Dreyer
Feat. Nora Gregor, Walter Slezak, Benjamin Christensen
- A landmark in gay silent cinema from Carl Theodor Dreyer, starring Walter Slezak as the young assistant and model to the artist Claude Zoret…