a documentary by Craig Foster, directed by Pippa Ehrlich and James Reed
launched in 2020 by Netflix, 90 minutes
a documentary by Waad al-Kateab, directed by Waad al-Kateab and Edward Watts
launched in 2019 by PBS Frontline, Channel 4 News and ITN Productions, 95 minutes
documentary by Lex Reitsma, featuring Irma Boom
launched in 2018 by Selfmade Films, 55 minutes
a series by HBO and Sky Television, about the Chernobyl nuclear disaster of 1986
launched in 2019, 5 episodes of app. 45 minutes
a film by Reiner Holzemer, featuring Dries van Noten
launched in 2017 by Dogwoof Pictures, 52 minutes
starring Piet Oudolf, directed by Thomas Piper
launched in 2018 by Argot Pictures, 75 minutes
starring Iris Apfel, directed by Albert Maysles
launched in 2014 by Magnolia Pictures, 79 minutesREAD MORE
starring the Goodwin family, directed by Jess Bianchi
launched in 2017 by Good Wolf Entertainment, 74 minutes
starring Jeroen Krabbé, broadcasted by AVROTROS (Dutch national TV)
launched in 2017, 8 episodes of app. 35 minutes
Two years ago the Dutch national television broadcasted the same documentary series presented by Mr. Jeroen Krabbé (a well known Dutch actor, director, presenter and painter), portraying the work and life of Vincent Van Gogh. A series I absolutely loved because Van Gogh is one of my all-time favorite painters and getting an insight look into his life, the places he lived and visited, background stories of the people he hung out with and the environments that inspired his art, was an absolute pleasure.
In this year’s series Mr. Krabbé takes us on a trip through France, Spain and Italy, following the footsteps of the richest, most famous and maybe even most talented painter that has ever lived; Pablo Picasso.
Throughout the series we get to know Picasso, the development of his art, the women that inspired his work, his homes and different lifestyles he’s led. An extraordinary man, who’s lived a fascinating life. An artist that changed the style of art as easily as he exchanged women. A man who’s had a massive impact on all who surrounded him and leaving behind the most amazing artworks man has ever made!
The series consists of 8 half an hour long episodes, in which we follow Picasso’s life chronologically. Starting off getting to know Pablo as a child, followed by the different stages of his life and the women he spend them with. Ending with his death that was followed by a five year long tragic fight over his enormous heritage by his many descendants, ex-lovers and family members.
episode 1 1881-1905 : De jeugd van een genie / The childhood of a genius
The Journey takes off in Malaga, where Pablo Picasso lived as a child. Pablo’s fascination for bullfighting can allready be seen in the artwork he’s made in his childhood. We follow the young painter to Paris where he moves into the artist residencies Bateau Lavoie. There he meets one of his first big loves; Fernande Olivier.
episode 2 1904-1908 : Het leven krijgt kleur / Life gets colourful
In the second episode we see Picasso’s paintings evolve from pink and optimistic, inspired by his love for Fernande, into abstract art. During their summer in the Spanish mountain village Gósol, the color Iberic orange catches his eye and he starts painting abstracted, mask-like faces, which for example to can be seen on ‘Demoiselles d’Avignon’.
Les Demoiselles d’Avignon | Picasso, 1907
episode 3 1908-1915 : Over vriendschap en concurrentie / Friendship and competition
Back in Paris Picasso’s friendship with Braque results in one of the most renewing and controversial artforms of the entire art history; Cubism. His cubistic and semi-abstract work is inspired by both his luxurious life with Fernande and his secret love affair with Eva Gouel. When Eva dies in 1915, Picasso becomes deeply depressed.
episode 4 1915-1927 : l’Epoque duchesse / The era of the duchess
It’s 1917 when poet Jean Cocteau askes Picasso to design costumes for the legendary Ballets Russes. Pablo travels to Rome and immediately falls in love with ballerina Olga Koklova. They get married and move to Paris. On his wife’s request, Picasso paints her portraits in a very classical and romantic way.
episode 5 1927-1936 : Twee vrouwen / Two women
The 17-years-old Marie-Thérèse Walter, with whom Picasso has an 8 year long secret love affair, is the inspiration for many surrealist paintings and sculptures. When Marie-Thérèse gets pregnant of their daughter Maya, both Picasso’s affair and marriage end and the painter finds himself in a deep personal crisis once more.
episode 6 1936-1940 : Dora en de burgeroorlog / Dora and the civil war
When the Spanish Republicans ask Picasso to create an anti-Franco artwork as their contribution for the World Exhibition of Paris in 1937, the bombing of Guernica becomes the theme for this massive artwork. Picasso’s new mistress Dora Maar photographs Picasso during the creation of Guernica, one of the most famous anti-war artworks.
Mr. Krabbé & Picasso’s Guernica, 1937
episode 7 1940-1953 : Het naoorlogse gelukkige gezinsleven / Pastwar happy family life
During World War II Picasso meets his new wife, the 40-years younger law student and artist Francoise Gilot. After the war they live a happy and quiet family life with their kids Claude and Paloma in the South of France. Their happiness ends in 1953 when Francoise, with their children, leaves Picasso because she can’t take his continuous cheating.
episode 8 1953-1973 : Op leven en good / On life and dead
In 1961 Picasso marries the 46-years younger Jacqueline Roque. They move to Mougins where they live a very isolated life and Picasso starts art battles with masters like Rembrandt, Velazquez and Manet in his studio. The artist works passionately until he days in 1973.
Pablo Picasso was a genius artist, living a fascinating (love)life which resulted in the most amazing artwork. Mr. Krabbé’s is an excellent storyteller and his enthusiasm for the painter and the artworks is very contagiously. I’m actually pretty sure that if you wouldn’t really be that interested in the work of Picasso, you’d still have a great time watching this series. (Please note, the series is presented in Dutch).
For those of you who can’t get enough of getting an insight look into the lives and artwork of the most fascinating artists, I’ve got some really good news to share. For the next series Mr. Krabbé will follow a painter that left behind everything to be able to totally focus on his art; Mr. Paul Gauguin!
For more information or to watch the episodes, have a look at the npo website.
starring the Minimalists, directed by Matt D’Avella
launched in 2016, 78 minutes
They say that ideas float through the air and all you have to do is grab them. If you don’t somebody else will, sometimes several people will. When I came across an article in the newspaper about people joining the Tiny House Movement in the Netherlands, in my mind it got immediately linked to the documentary that my boyfriend and I had watched the previous evening. A documentary definitely worth telling you guys about!
‘Minimalism’ is a fascinating documentary about minimizing your life. A life in which less means more. A lifestyle conflicting with the western ideal in which materialism equals happiness. We’ve all heard of Marie-does it spark joy-Kondo who taught us how to get rid off all the stuff that we don’t need. Well, for some people that is only the beginning.
– Ryan Nicodemus
In this documentary we get to know people that brought minimalism to an even higher level. For example Ryan Nicodemus and Joshua Fields Millburn, also known as ‘The Minimalists’.
We follow Ryan and Joshua on their tour through America. A tour on which they try to introduce this ideal of living a minimalistic lifestyle to as many people as possible. They go to conferences, give presentations and take part on radio and tv shows to talk about the significant difference changing from a consumeristic lifestyle to a minimalistic lifestyle has made. Both men are now feeling so much happier, no longer working long days to earn a lot of money to buy things they don’t really want or need.
The documentary introduces not just Ryan and Joshua’s version of a minimal lifestyle, but many more people that at a certain point in their life decided to take back control and live life differently.
What really inspires me is how they all explain that living a less excessive life makes life so much easier and enjoyable. There is no more worrying about what to wear when you can choose between five first choice-sweaters instead of a hundred seconds. Something simple like owning less clothes would surely make the morning ritual of many men and women much less stressful (not even mentioning what this would mean for our natural environment and the people working in all those mass production processes.)
Having watched this documentary and having read the article really helps and inspires me to keep focusing on the important things in life. To keep living my life intentionally, to make decisions that will increase mine and other people’s happiness, not just the number on my bank account. When living a more minimal life, life won’t be perfect, nor easy, but it will be simple.
– Joshua Fields Millburn
To learn more about the minimalists, have a look at their website.