The Reel Artists Film Festival, February 21 (today) – 24, 2008, Toronto.

Don’t miss this weekend of films on today’s hottest contemporary artists!

The world premieres of Jeff Wall: Retrospective (2007) by Michael Blackwood and Takashi Murakami (2008) by Marina Zenovich are two highlights of the festival, as are the Canadian premieres of Robert Wilson: Video Portraits (2007) by Marina Zenovich and Anish Kapoor (2007) by John Wyver.

Jeff Wall. Milk, 1984, The Museum of Modern Art, New York.
image: artic.edu

Jeff Wall: Retrospective (2007) is a walk-through of Wall’s recent MoMA NY exhibition with the museum’s curator of photography, Peter Galassi. As they tour the show, Wall stops in front of each piece to explain his intentions and inspirations..

Takashi Murakami, the opening of Murakami’s exhibition. Image: instyle.com

Takashi Murakami (2008) is a just-completed film about the fascinating Japanese artist, including a tour of his recent exhibition at the LA MoCA. There’s much more to Murakami than the handbags he produced for Louis Vuitton!

Another not-to-be-missed highlight is a special screening of Citizen Lambert: Joan of Architecture (2006), by Teri Wehn-Damisch, on Sunday, February 24. This film will be introduced by Marianne McKenna, Partner, KPMB Architects. A conversation with Phyllis Lambert and Globe and Mail architecture critic Lisa Rochon will follow the screening.

Philip Johnson, Mies van der Rohe, and Phyllis Lambert in front of an image of the model for the Seagram Building (1954–58). Image: nbm.org

There are also films on Richard Serra, Philip Johnson, Rodin, Henry Moore, Bas Jan Ader, Joseph Beuys and more!

All other screenings take place at the Al Green Theatre, Miles Nadal JCC, 750 Spadina Avenue (at Bloor Street), Toronto. General admission tickets are $9 in advance; festival passes are $50 in advance. Rush tickets, if available, are $10 ($5 for students/seniors with valid ID) fifteen minutes prior to each screening.

To buy tickets, please click HERE

A disclaimer: I work for the Canadian Art Foundation that has organized the festival – but don’t let that dissuade you! VoCA has seen the films and they are excellent!