It was confirmed today that Sony Pictures Classics has acquired the worldwide rights to the documentary TIM’S VERMEER, a film directed by Teller of PENN & TELLER. The project was produced by Teller’s partner Penn Jillette and Farley Ziegler.
A truly interesting film, the story follows Tim Jenison, who is a Texas based inventor, as he answers one question: “How did 17th century Dutch Master Johannes Vermeer (“Girl with a Pearl Earring”) manage to paint so photo-realistically, before the invention of photography?”
The research done on the question involves using 17th century technology (lenses and mirrors) to create a method that Vermeer most-likely used to create his stunning work. The film takes place in Delft, Holland, home of Vermeer, and the North coast of Yorkshire with artist David Hockney. Another stop on the tour is Buckingham Palace, to see the Queen’s Vermeer works.
Composer Conrad Pope (MY WEEK WITH MARILYN) and Post-Production Sound Supervisor Larry Blake (BEHIND THE CANDELABRA) and award-winning Editor Patrick Sheffield and Director of Photography Shane F. Kelly (A SCANNER DARKLY) all worked on the project.
“My buddy, Tim Jenison, told me over supper he was going to try to paint a Vermeer. Tim is a genius, but I’m a skeptic. I wanted to see him do it. Teller has been the Penn & Teller de facto director since our beginnings so we made a movie of Tim’s whole monomaniacal trip. Having Sony Pictures Classics as the first words on the screen means it’s more than just a couple of Vegas magicians and an eccentric inventor in his garage — now, it’s a real film that will change the history of art,” Jillette said in a statement.
“This is an important and brilliant film. We have been admirers of Penn and Teller for decades. We look forward to presenting TIM’S VERMEER to audiences around the world,” states Sony Pictures Classics.
TIM’S VERMEER will be released in 2014.
