ARTE Distribution

The art market had not yet experienced its digital revolution. Until that day of 2021, when NFTs, short for Non Fungible Token, appeared on your screens. Thanks to this new transaction technology, Beeple, an almost unknown digital artist, became the third most expensive living artist in the world.

NFTs promise to revolutionize the art market. More money for artists, fewer intermediaries, and fewer barriers for collectors. Will this digital revolution be virtuous, or will it meet the same fate as many others before it, emptied of their meaning and twisted from their original goals?

Dive into the heart of 19th century bustling Paris, following the adventures and destinies of legendary artists such as Hugo, Sand, Berlioz, Balzac, etc. These intrepid young souls shook conventions with their words and brushes. This one-of-a-kind animated series reveals the deepest secrets of these romantic heroes. Their fights still resonate in today’s world.

Entirely told in traditional 2D animation, this series recounts the story of literary and artistic Paris between 1824 and 1870. The protagonists Hugo, Berlioz, Chopin, Delacroix, Courbet, Baudelaire, Balzac or Dumas… Young intrepid artists, eager to awaken society and break the rules using all means at their disposal, whether it’s paintbrushes, pens or guns. Their crossed destinies are incredibly romantic and their fights terribly relevant.

The imaginary worlds of fantasy irrigate literature, cinema, video and role-playing games. Illustrator John Howe, the concept artist of The Lord of the Rings series, takes us on a wonderful four-part journey to discover the artists who have crafted fantasy.

Over the past twenty years, our views on Fantasy have shifted tremendously. Long reduced to repetitive adventures in comic books or movies with kitschy settings and poor scenarios, Fantasy now faces higher expectations from readers and critics alike, who demand complex heroes, strong female characters, original universes, in tune with more modern issues.
From its distant origins in myths and legends to its emergence into popular culture in the second half of the 20th century, fantasy has gradually taken shape over a history spanning more than a century. From the romantic Germany of the Brothers Grimm to the Texas plains where Robert E. Howard gave birth to the character of Conan, from the socialist utopias of William Morris to the tortured and eccentric mind of HP Lovecraft, John Howe’s travels will be interspersed with animated sequences breathing life into the stories that laid the foundations of the genre. To understand what makes these works so relevant and prevalent today, John Howe will be assisted by renowned experts such as S. T. Joshi, author of a 1200-page biography of Lovecraft, and Patrice Louinet, editor and translator of Robert E. Howard.
 

This film offers you the opportunity to learn about the composer's life through his letters, his handwritten notes and the testimonies of great musicians and artists of our time. 

Through writing and music, this film offers an intimate approach to Beethoven's life and work: discover the struggles of a man who never gave up.
Beethoven's correspondence and diaries make for a unique material. It sheds a light on the composer to reveal a side of him that has never been seen before. His temperament, his struggles, what he admired, what he hated, how he lived his life... Most of these precious writings are rarely talked about.

Takeshi Kitano is an international icon. We know the actor, the multi-award-winning filmmaker, but many ignore his split personality: the crazy TV star, the street kid from Tokyo close to the Yakuza, and the political satirist who blasted taboos!

Can we dream of a better guide to introduce us to the cultural history of Japan?

Rosa Bonheur, the animal painter adulated in France in the XIXth century, often forgotten in her country, is nevertheless a major figure of women's emancipation and of the animal cause.

Rosa Bonheur was a major figure of female emancipation: she was the first woman artist to receive the Legion of Honour, from the hands of another woman, the Empress Eugenie, who said on this occasion: “Genius has no sex”. She was also the first woman officially authorized to wear pants; the first to buy property with the fruit of her labor, thanks to the sale of a single painting; she settled in this property with several friends: living between women, sharing their fortunes between them, becoming heirs of each other, they founded a sisterhood that would leave a lasting impression on the French society of the time.

Official selection - 24th Luchon Television Creation Festival

Dead at the age of 24 after starring in only three films, James Dean remains the icon par excellence, whose influence endures 70 years after he passed away. More than just a face and an attitude, he transformed the perception of masculinity, embracing his flaws, his doubts, his fragility, his loves, forging himself into an anti-hero. His life continues to inspire, making him a timeless legend and a paragon of freedom. 

Through his distinctive personality and the three films he starred in, Elia Kazan's East of Eden (1955), Nicholas Ray's Rebel Without a Cause (1955) and Georges Stevens' Giant (1956), James Dean created breaches in Hollywood rigidities, and helped reinvent masculinity in a more flexible way. His screen presence, marked by vulnerability and rebellion against classic masculine norms, introduced a less rigid male model. Dean, a modern man of many facets (he was openly bisexual), challenged conventional portrayals of manhood, becoming an icon of sensitivity and complexity. His unique contribution has had a lasting influence on the perception of masculinity, establishing a new ideal of the emotional, conflicted man, far removed from the unfailing heroes of yesterday. 

Glenn Close, famous for her roles as iconic atypical women such as Cruella in 101 Dalmatians, is an ardent feminist activist. She inspires both through her performances and her convictions, prompting reflection on the role of women in cinema and society.

As the heiress to one of cinema's greatest couple (Vincente Minnelli & Judy Garland), she followed the “golden path". After winning an Academy Award for her memorable performance in Cabaret, she became one of Hollywood's most beloved and much-maligned living icons.

From a very early age, Liza Minnelli was exposed to the fascinating and legendary world of musical comedy, and though she was barely out of the cradle, she started singing, dancing, and acting. From her Oscar-winning performance in Cabaret to electrifying stage presence, the documentary explores her rise amidst the shadows of her legendary parents, Judy Garland, and Vincente Minnelli. Through archival footage and intimate interviews, it reveals her triumphs, struggles with addiction, and resilient spirit. Despite personal setbacks, Liza's talent and determination shine, inspiring audiences worldwide. With poignant insights and memorable moments, the film celebrates Liza's enduring legacy as an entertainment powerhouse and beacon of strength in the face of adversity.

Looking back through archives on the extraordinary journey of a rock giant. A singer adored by multiple generations of fans who never ceased to question his icon status and America.

Springing from a humble childhood in New Jersey, Bruce Springsteen becomes a global rock icon. Despite his fame, he remains a man shrouded in mystery and at times a victim of his own success. Balancing between a desire for celebrity and a need for intimacy, he grapples with contradictions and frequently challenges his icon status. Fidelity best defines Springsteen, as his loyalty to his band, the E Street Band, and his unwavering fans is unwavering. Through his evocative writing, Springsteen transcends the boundaries of rock to become an emblematic figure of American culture, influenced by artists such as John Steinbeck, Terrence Malick, and Robert De Niro. Our film delves into Springsteen's body of work, revealing a man whose music embodies the soul of a nation.

At the 1988 Eurovision Song Contest, Céline Dion surprisingly represented Switzerland, but this has nothing to do with chance. From Quebec to international star, this portrait traces the singer's career to rediscover a character and an image that is all too familiar, yet more complex than it may seem.

How did Céline Dion, a worldwide star who went on to become the world's most famous Quebecker, find herself representing Switzerland at the most memorable edition of the Eurovision Song Contest in the late 80s?
 
Yet this has nothing to do with chance. In fact, in more ways than one, it reveals the singer's career, and the couple she formed for over 40 years with René Angélil, both her manager and her one true love. It's both romantic and carefully thought through, over-the- top and yet confoundingly sincere.
 
This adventure, which was an opportunity to conquer new markets as it was a gamble on the part of the producer. It was to reveal to 500 million viewers the transformation of an artist, illustrating how she went from a little girl with a cheesy look and crooked teeth to a young woman ready to seize the moment. Less than 10 years after this victory, Céline Dion was chosen to sing "My Heart Will Go On", the song from Titanic which, like the film, became a worldwide hit. A stunning career!
 
Through this contest and its breathtaking Grand Final, the portrait of a female competitor emerged. And so it was Switzerland that first gave Céline Dion her champion title and attributes.

Whether you like him or not, whether he arouses admiration, perplexity or laughter, Jean-Claude Van Damme’s life is an incredible and unconventional adventure from Belgium to Hollywood Hills.

In 1988, an random guy named Jean-Claude Van Damme became a worldwide celebrity by getting the lead role in a low-budget martial arts film that should have been released only on DVD, but would make millions of dollars.

This was the beginning of a spectacular rise for the young Belgian who had arrived in Los Angeles six years earlier, without money or connections but with a stainless determination, which, after many setbacks, would make him one of the best rated action film actors in Hollywood for more than a decade.

Harder would be the fall at the end of the 90s, which drug abuse would accelerate. Mocked for the lunar and surrealistic reflections with which he now spices up his interviews, Jean-Claude would however know salvation in 2008 thanks to his humble and lucid performance in JCVD, a French film telling the story of a former kick-boxing star who has lost everything and finds his roots in Brussels. After which, little by little, Van Damme would climb back up the steps of respect.

Since then, between the United States, Asia and Europe, Jean-Claude Van Damme, unable to stop, has switched between action films, dramas and self-deprecating parodies, making him one of the most lovable figures in cinema.