Themes and Key Words:
Arts, Biography, Graphic Art
Year:
2018
Country:
Netherlands
Running Time:
52′ | 90′
Production:
Robin Lutz AV Productions
Director:
Robin Lutz
Website
Trailer
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SYNOPSIS
JOURNEY INTO INFINITY is the story of world famous Dutch graphic artist M.C Escher and is based on more than 1000 letters, dairies and lectures he wrote during his lifetime. We hear him speak in his own words, about his life, his fears, doubts, politics, work and the amazement he encounters time and time again. The film travels to sites that were major inspirations for him. While Escher speaks, the camera records what he sees, as if it was his eye! Two of his sons, George (92) and Jan (80) appear as well and reminisce about their parents. Additionally musician Graham Nash (Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young) talks about Escher’s rediscovery in the 70’s. The film looks at Escher’s legacy and how his work even today inspires comic strips, advertisements, movies etc. and draws massive visitors worldwide to exhibitions of his art. Escher is today considered an artist of world fame. 44 years after his death he steps out of the shadow of his work and tell us, in his own words, the story of his life. Sir Roger Penrose, the British mathematician, who gave Escher the ideas for some of his world-famous prints, is the patron of this film.
DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT
Robin Lutz is the initiator of the Escher film project together with his filmpartner Marijnke de Jong. First they have sought cooperation with the Escher Foundation, which has all the (picture) rights to the works of Escher. This foundation has agreed and gave their full cooperation to realize the movie. This indispensable partner will link the film also to the countless Escher exhibitions planned all over the world in the coming years. Naturally, the Escher museum in The Hague was also a good partner in this film project. Sir Roger Penrose, emeritus professor of mathematics at Oxford University is the patron of the film.
The Movie: M.C. Escher, journey to infinity
“I fear that there is only one person in the world who could make a really good movie about my prints: myself ‘. This line wrote Escher in 1969 to an American collector of his work.
And that is exactly what Escher is doing in this movie: he is the director, not literally but symbolically. Besides a visionary graphic artist Maurits Escher was a sharp observer who described his observations in numerous diaries, letters, lectures and catalogues. Thus, an image will be created of his personal life described in his own words, with all his fears, doubts, euphoric moments, political considerations, his amazements, his artistic development and of course his own opinion on his work.
The public sees the film through the eyes of Escher himself: the camera is Escher. M.C. Escher will tell in his own words what he saw, what he felt, what inspired him, what amazed him, what irritated him. We will get under his skin and come as close as possible to meet and understand this great graphic artist.
The camera is Escher’s eye!
The film shows (historical) footage of: Leeuwarden, where he was born, Haarlem, where he was educated, Italy where he lived during the rise of Mussolini, Spain just before Franco where he found his inspiration for his ‘plain filling’ and the Netherlands during the German occupation and the 50s and 60s when he lived in Baarn.
Escher gave sharp commentary on the turbulent world around him but focused entirely on his art. After a long period of traditional work his big break trough became reality after WWII with his “Escher” prints. In these works he shows a world that seems logical at first view but seems to be impossible in reality. The film shows with 3D animations how Escher visualized a vague idea into a graphic work and how his thought process evolved.
Although art historians often criticize Escher he is after Rembrandt and Van Gogh one of the most famous Dutch artists known in the world. Everyone recognizes his work immediately.
How did he get his inspiration, how he lived, who was that genius graphic artist which worked fanatic and finally stunned the world. Escher was astonished by his huge success, especially among the youth. Escher’s sons, George and Jan, and pop icon Graham Nash will put Escher story in context in the movie. The son’s testimonials are a direct supplement to the content of Escher himself. Pop star Graham Nash is a very big collector of Escher’s work and thanks to Escher’s work he discovered ‘art’. He is now besides singer also an art collector and publisher of art books. This feature documentary is the first complete film about Escher’s live and work told in his own words! This film is a personal statement of Escher himself 44 years after his death.
The Dutch audience has already found her way to the cinemas for this documentary film in award winning numbers.
MORE ABOUT DIRECTOR – Robin Lutz
After working in France for 16 years Robin Lutz founded his own company in cultural audio-visual productions in 1988. This company is focused on author, cultural and informative (feature) documentaries. The Netherlands has a wealthy tradition when it comes to documentaries and luckily it doesn’t go by unnoticed. In foreign countries one also recognizes this craftsmanship. That’s why films made by Robin Lutz win frequently national and international awards due to stylish films with respect to good content.
Some price winning films:
2016
The documentary film “Spinoza, a free thinker” by Robin Lutz has won a Grand Prix-, Golden Dolphin in Cannes in 2016, during the 7th Cannes Corporate Media & TV Awards.
2015
“Spinoza, a free thinker” – documentary about the philosopher Baruch Spinoza (1632-1672) Length 90 minutes
Price: Spinozamedal 2015, Netherlands
2012
“Aquarius” – documentary about the painter Anthonie Pieter Schotel (1890-1958)
Length 52 minutes.
Price: Intermedia Globe Silver 2014 from World Media Festival Hamburg
2008
“24 hours Meavita” film about healtcare in the Netherlands. Length: 20 minutes.
Price: International Film and Video Festival Hollywood USA. Certificate for Creative Exellence for Corporate Film: 24 hours Meavita.
Price: New York: Global Award for Corporate Film ‘24 hours Meavita’.
2005
“Walking with Vincent van Gogh in The Hague” – documentary over the important The Hague period of Vincent van Gogh. Length 30 minutes.
Price: Best heritage film 2002. Europa Nostra Film Festival Italy.
Price: International Film and Video Festival Hollywood USA. Certificate for Creative Excellence for the film: A walk in The Hague with Vincent van Gogh.
2003
“Johan Barthold Jongkind; a Dutchman in Honfleur” – art movie about the French period of the painter Johan Barthold Jongkind. Length 30 minutes.
Price: Gold Camera Award 2007. International Film and Video Festival Hollywood USA.
2002
“Glass is Leerdam” – documentary about (art) glass production in Leerdam. Length 30 minutes.
Price: Gold Camera Award 2006. International Film and Video Festival Hollywood USA.
2001
“Jugendstil in The Hague” – documentary about Jugendstil in The Hague. Length 30 minutes.
Price: Best Build Heritage Film 2001. Europa Nostra Film Festival Italy.
1997
“Life out of death” of “Mummies as modern medicine”. A documentary about the scientific search to old aids viruses in monkey mummies in Egypt. Length 52 minutes.
Price: TROS Scenario Contest 1994
Price: XXIX Festival international du film maritime et d’exploration. France 1997
Films Transit International 