"Loving Vincent" made in CeTa [PHOTOS]

Featuring both actors and extras, the first phase of shooting for the "Loving Vincent" film was completed on Sunday, December 7th in Wrocław Centrum Technologii Audiowizualnej (CeTa) [Audiovisual Technology Centre]. This is the first ever painted animation feature film, and it is made in Wrocław, Gdańsk and the UK. The directors are: painter Dorota Kobiela and Hugh Welchman.

The set hosted, among others, British actor John Sessions, ("The Iron Lady", "Gangs of New York"), as well as extras selected in castings organised by a Wrocław casting agency, Studio ABM. The actors' and extras' costumes were picked by renowned costumologist, Dorota Roqueplo. Further shooting is planned in spring next year.

"I've always wanted to play a woman" admitted one of the male extras, dressed up in a costume from Van Gogh's epoch.

Painting the world in post-production

The photos completed at CeTa, which is the film's co-producer will later be used for post-production. The prepared material will be used by painters to create further pictures, and based on them, stills for animation "Loving Vincent".

Painting of single stills for the film is already in progress in Gdansk, using PAWS technology (Painting Animation Work Station). Some of them will be prepared in Wrocław Audiovisual Technology Centre, which accommodates 10 workplaces. The project will start in spring.

"Loving Vincent") is the first ever painted animation feature film. It will tell a story of life and mysterious death of Vincent van Gogh, one of the most prominent and renowned painters. The animation is produced by BreakThru Productions, a company started by Hugh Welchman, who won the 2008 Oscar award for the best short animation film "Peter and the Wolf". The film will include as many as 100 animated paintings of the master.

Set off a journey with Armand Roulin

The person to take the audience to a journey through van Gogh's life is Armand Roulin, the boy often portrayed by the painter. The whole film is based on an idea of interviews with people who knew the artist, were meeting with him, and were portrayed by him. "They are witnesses to his life and can have a say with regard to his death" explains Justyna Wierszyńska, the film's editor.

"On July 29th van Gogh received a letter from his brother, who supported the painter, informing him about the brother's financial problems. Allegedly, this is why van Gogh committed suicide. I don't believe that; we will try to tackle the myth of van Gogh's death" explains Hugh Welchman.

"People think of van Gogh as a lunatic who cut off his own ear and later comitted suicide. With our film we wish to shed some light on the last years of his life" explain the authors of the film.

The film's première is planned for 2015, i.e. in the 125 anniversary of Vincent van Gogh's death..

Agnieszka Kołodyńska

Photo: CeTa