54 documentaries that inspire creativity

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

These films in English and Russian are useful for everyone who is involved in creative work. Inspiration and new knowledge about design, architecture and painting are guaranteed.

Biographies and design of the past

1. "Design is One: Lella & Massimo Vignelli"

The story of two influential designers who have achieved success in different areas during their lives: graphics, corporate identity, interior design.

2. Eames: The Architect and the Painter

A story about the life and work of the married couple Charles and Ray Eames - famous industrial designers in America.

3. Visual Acoustics: The Modernism of Julius Shulman

An unconventional outlook on Shulman's life and career, which professional designers unanimously call the greatest photographer of architecture.

4. American Lives: Frank Lloyd Wright

Ken Burns' two-part documentary about the great architect. Frank Lloyd Wright is a man whose exceptional life, ideas, revolutionary approach to design and architecture have changed the face of cities around the world.

5. Bill Cunningham, New York

Biography of a veteran of fashion photography. Cunningham, in his unchanged blue jacket, on a bicycle and with a camera in his hands, filmed the real life of the streets of New York.

6. Milton Glaser: To Inform & Delight

The film is dedicated to the co-founder of the famous New York Magazine and the creator of the I Love NY advertising campaign. Here the immense scope of Glazer's artistic vision is revealed.

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7. Vidal Sassoon: The Movie

Vidal Sassoon, despite a difficult childhood, was able to achieve tremendous heights in the profession and revolutionized the work of hairdressers and stylists. He is often referred to as the artist and craftsman who changed the world with scissors in hand.

8. "Model Matisse" (A Model for Matisse)

The story of the friendship between Henri Matisse and the nun Jacques-Marie, which inspired the artist to create some of his most beloved works.

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9. "Cutie and the Boxer"

A frank love story and 40-year marriage between Ushio Shinohara, who paints with boxing gloves, and his wife Noriko.

10. Everything Must Change - Piet Zwart

A documentary about Pete Zwart, a designer who lived for innovation and became the founder of a whole direction - Dutch design.

11. Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child

Biography of the unusual artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, who first painted graffiti in city alleyways, and later exhibited his paintings in the most popular galleries in New York. In this film, the director explores the rebellious nature of Basquiat's art.

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12. How to Make a Book with Steidl

Gerhard Steidl is one of the few modern publishers who consistently adheres to the high quality standards of printed books.

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13. Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry

A Chinese artist and activist uses social media and art as a way to inspire people to protest against the government (for which he is persecuted in his country).

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14. The Visual Language of Herbert Matter

A fascinating life story of an influential designer of the middle of the last century, who is called the pioneer of photomontage and commercial art.

15. "Artist Gerhard Richter" (Gerhard Richter Painting)

The famous German artist talks about his unusual approach to work and the creative process.

16. Sketches of Frank Gehry

A personal portrait of a controversial architect who was never afraid to break the rules. The film about Gehry was directed by Sydney Pollack, his supporter and longtime friend.

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17. The Line King: The Al Hirschfeld Story

Cartoonist Al Hirschfeld has created thousands of graphic portraits of famous people. The film shows the story of his growing up and his career.

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18. "How much does your building weigh, Mr. Foster?" (How Much Does Your Building Weigh, Mr. Foster?)

A film about the work of one of the most famous architects in the world - Norman Foster. This is the story of his endless search for an answer to the main question: how to improve the quality of life of people through design?

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19. "Tim's Vermeer"

Inventor Tim Jenson is trying to unravel one of the most interesting mysteries of art history: how the Dutch painter Jan Vermeer managed to create such realistic canvases in the 17th century. An incredibly fun exploration.

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20. "The Life and Times of Frida Kahlo", (The Life and Times of Frida Kahlo)

Biography of the Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, who became a sensation both in the world of contemporary art and in the world of politics.

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21. The Many Lives of William Klein

Klein is one of the most influential photographers in the world. He can rightfully be called the ancestor of the art of street photography, and his photographs are iconic images of the fashion industry of the 20th century.

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22. Beauty Is Embarassing

A funny and inspiring film about the life of the American artist Wayne White.

23. Teaching to See

The film is about a hospital patient with impaired neural connections and about a special training program that helped restore his ability to see. Subsequently, this program became one of the best visualization and drawing tutorials.

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24. Linotype: The Film

A full-length documentary about the amazing car of Ottmar Mergenthaler, which Thomas Addison called the eighth wonder of the world. The invention of the linotype revolutionized printing.

25. John Portman: A Life of Building

An analysis of the work and legacy of one of the most daring and influential architects, whose buildings have shaped cities around the world.

26. Marina Abramović: The Artist is Present

Portrait of the Yugoslav artist Marina Abramovic - a woman who does not draw boundaries between her personal life and art.

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27. Finding Vivian Maier

Vivian Mayer worked as an ordinary nanny all her life, but after her death, about 100 thousand photographs were found in her things. Some of them are masterpieces. Mayer is considered one of the most accomplished street photographers.

28. BBC: The Genius of Design

5 films about the history of design and about inventions that have significantly changed modern life.

Creative groups

1. American Look

A 1958 documentary about the people who were designing at the time. The focus is on the examples of architecture, interiors, furniture, packaging and technology that have become symbols of the 50s.

2. "Erb and Dorothy" (Herb & Dorothy)

The extraordinary story of ordinary people - postal clerk Herbert Vogel and librarian Dorothy Vogel, who together put together one of the most important collections of contemporary art in history.

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3. "Exit Through the Gift Shop"

A project by filmmaker Thierry Guetta who explores the other side of street art and tries to find Banksy, one of the most popular and mysterious graffiti artists of our time.

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4. Between the Folds

A story about ten wonderful artists who are engaged in the art of origami.

5. "Clean lines, open spaces" (Clean Lines, Open Spaces)

A documentary about mid-century architecture and how the post-World War II construction boom changed the look of our homes and interiors.

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6. Coast Modern

Travel along the Pacific Northwest coast, where you can see fine examples of modernist architecture.

7. Just Like Being There

Contemporary artists were asked about the peculiarities of creating posters for concerts. It turns out that the environment of such artists is a close-knit community of like-minded people who do not just paint, but live by their creativity.

8. Sign Painters

The film gives a glimpse into the world of small shops. He, as it turned out, is also not alien to creativity.

9. "Style Wars"

A 1983 documentary about the development of hip-hop culture in New York. The main question asked by the filmmakers: is graffiti art or ordinary vandalism?

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10. Beautiful Losers

A documentary about independent DIY culture and underground artists of the early 90s.

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11. The Cool School

The story of the rise of the modern art scene in Los Angeles. At the center of the story is a group of non-conformist artists who instilled a love for contemporary art in an entire city.

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12. The Successor of Kakiemon

The story of a Japanese family who created the legendary kakiemon porcelain and carefully kept the secret of its manufacture for 400 years. This skill has been passed down in the family from generation to generation.

Modern design

1. "Helvetica"

A film about typography, graphic design and visual culture in a broad sense. The example of the most used font in the world shows the influence of design on our lives.

2. "Objectified"

A full-length documentary about our complex relationship with mass-produced things and the people who design them.

3. "Typeface"

Artists and printers meet at a museum and print shop in a small Wisconsin town to practice modern design techniques and try out traditional typing and typing techniques. This film is an attempt to find common ground in traditional and modern approaches.

4. "Urbanized"

Harry Hustwit (author of the films Helvetica and Reification) draws attention to the problems of the urban environment and the layout of public spaces that arise with the growth of cities.

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5. Design the New Business

A study of the collaboration of designers and businessmen who jointly seek solutions to pressing business problems.

6. "Image and text" (Art & Copy)

A powerful film about advertising and inspiration. Dedicated to the work of the most influential advertisers. These people influence modern culture more than anyone else, but practically no one knows them outside the professional circle.

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7. "Modern Russian Design"

The documentary film by Sergei Shanovich The Modern Russian Design is dedicated to the last 20 years of development of the design industry in Russia. This is a series of interviews with the most famous Russian designers.

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8. The Happy Film

The renowned graphic designer Stefan Sagmeister comes up with an interesting art project and tries to find out exactly what factors can make a person happy.

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9. "Abstract: The Art of Design"

A Netflix documentary series about the most talented representatives of the art and design world of our time.

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10. "Design thinking" (Design & Thinking)

A documentary about the principles of design thinking and its impact on the world around us.

The future of design

1. "Designed future" (Future by Design)

Reflections of Jacques Fresco, whom contemporaries often compare to Leonardo da Vinci.

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2. PressPausePlay

The digital revolution in art in the last decade has allowed people to realize their creative potential on an enormous scale. Reflections on what to expect from this: a breakthrough in the field of art or a mass of mediocre works.

3. "Printer of the future" (Print the Legend)

A story about young entrepreneurs who strive to make 3D printing accessible to ordinary people.

4. Why Beauty Matters

Modern philosopher Roger Scruton makes a strong case for why beauty is important in art and in everyday life.