Kublai Film presents its 2026–2027 film season with the project *I Grandi Maestri*, a series dedicated to art and culture documentaries that will bring five international productions and co-productions to Italian theaters, focusing on figures who have shaped the collective imagination and the history of painting, cinema, and literature. The series will run from October 4, 2026, to April 20, 2027, and will feature films produced in collaboration with some of Europe’s leading producers in the sector.
The season is conceived as a programmatic initiative structured around five events spread over seven months, with the goal of establishing a recognizable identity for cultural documentaries in theaters. The overarching theme is a focus on artists who continue to engage with the present day through diverse works and artistic languages.
The season will open on October 4, 5, and 6, 2026, with *Caravaggio* (Exhibition on Screen, 2026, 100’), directed by David Bickerstaff and Phil Grabsky. The documentary, the result of five years of production, traces the painter’s journey through clues found in his works, offering a portrait of the artist and his innovative artistic language.
On November 29 and 30 and December 1, the festival will feature *Werner Herzog. Radical Dreamer* (3B-Produktion, Spring Films in co-production with ARTE/ZDF, 2022, 103’), directed by Thomas von Steinaecker. The film explores the German director through archival footage and testimonies from collaborators and figures in international cinema, including Christian Bale, Nicole Kidman, Robert Pattinson, Wim Wenders, Patti Smith, and Chloé Zhao, as well as Herzog himself. Its release in Italian theaters will coincide with the presentation of the director’s new film at the Venice International Film Festival.
On February 14, 15, and 16, 2027, the spotlight will be on*Frida Kahlo* (Exhibition on Screen, 2026, 101’), directed by Ali Ray. This new version of the documentary includes previously unseen footage shot for the exhibition dedicated to the artist at London’s Tate Modern, scheduled from June 25, 2026, to January 3, 2027, and offers an updated perspective on the life and work of one of the leading figures in 20th-century art.
On March 14, 15, and 16, Michael Ende. The Neverending Story (Kublai Film and 3B-Produktion in co-production with ARTE/ZDF, 2027, 70’), a documentary directed by Thomas von Steinaecker and dedicated to the author of The Neverending Story and Momo. This international production explores the development of the writer’s imagination and the relevance of his ideas today, featuring a special appearance by Roberto Saviano.
The season will close with *Turner & Constable* (Exhibition on Screen, 2026, 93’), scheduled for April 18, 19, and 20, 2027. Produced to mark the 250th anniversary of the birth of the two British artists and the Tate Britain exhibition, the film compares two approaches to landscape painting and reconstructs the rivalry that helped transform the history of European art.
The project brings together European productions and co-productions resulting from collaborations with organizations such as Exhibition on Screen, ARTE/ZDF, 3B-Produktion, CNA Cinema e Audiovisivo, reaffirming Kublai Film’s commitment to bridging the gap between Italian audiences and international productions dedicated to art and culture. All documentaries will be distributed in their original language with Italian subtitles, a choice designed to preserve the voices of the artists, scholars, and key figures involved. For Kublai Film, distribution thus takes on a curatorial dimension: selecting works, building international relationships, and guiding the films as they reach their audience.
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| This fall, Caravaggio, Herzog, and Kahlo are coming to theaters as part of the "Great Masters" season |
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