loving vincent by Dorota Kobiela, Hugh Welchman

“Loving Vincent” is a unique animated biographical drama film that stands out for its distinctive visual style. Released in 2017, it is the world’s first fully painted feature film, with each of its 65,000 frames hand-painted by a team of 125 artists. The movie is directed by Dorota Kobiela and Hugh Welchman and is centered around the life and mysterious death of the famous Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh.

The film is set a year after van Gogh’s death, and it follows Armand Roulin, played by Douglas Booth, the son of a postman who was a friend of Vincent. Armand is tasked with delivering a letter from the artist to his brother, Theo van Gogh. As Armand embarks on this journey, he begins to unravel the circumstances surrounding Vincent’s death.

Throughout the film, Armand interviews various individuals who were part of van Gogh’s life, trying to piece together the events leading up to the artist’s untimely demise. Each of these characters is portrayed by actors, and their scenes are animated using the same distinctive painting technique as van Gogh’s works. This creates a visually stunning and immersive experience that pays homage to the artist’s unique style.

As Armand delves deeper into the investigation, he discovers the complexities of van Gogh’s life, his mental health struggles, and the profound impact he had on those around him. The narrative unfolds like a detective story, exploring not only the circumstances of van Gogh’s death but also providing insights into the emotions and relationships that shaped his art.

“Loving Vincent” is a visually breathtaking film that offers a fresh and creative approach to storytelling in the realm of animation. It provides a compelling exploration of the life of one of the most celebrated artists in history, using his own visual language to bring the story to life.