This fascinating portrait of war painter Eric Ravilious movingly argues for his place as a vital figure upon the landscape of British art.

The first official war artist to die in active service during the Second World War, Ravilious was on a plane that went missing off the coast of Iceland on 2 September 1942. By that time, he had established himself as one of the most distinctive, prolific and successful artists, the accessibility of his work attracting a sizeable following. This popularity might have led to him being unfairly dismissed – a situation that Margy Kinmonth’s meticulous and hugely engaging film seeks to remedy.

With contributions from artists Alan Bennett, Anne Desmet, Grayson Perry and Ai Weiwei, writer Robert McFarlane, Imperial War Museum curator Paris Agar, and with the voices of Freddie Fox and Tamsin Grieg, Kinmonth’s film journeys through Ravilious’ short but eventful life, with specific focus on his development as an artist and the work he produced during the War. And at the heart of the film lies the work itself, which is passionate, hugely accomplished and waiting to be discovered by a new generation of admirers.

Director
Margy Kinmonth

Date of release
2022

Running time
87 min

Country of origin
United Kingdom

Language
English

Rating
PG