A Sudden Glimpse to Deeper Things: A Documentary Film on Wilhelmina Barns-Graham

Official Trailer

by Alex Billington
September 27, 2024
Source: YouTube

“Everything was about color, and form, and line.” She was a master! Conic Film has unveiled the official trailer for a documentary film called A Sudden Glimpse to Deeper Things, the latest doc creation from acclaimed Irish filmmaker Mark Cousins. This recently premiered at the 2024 Karlovy Vary Film Festival in the Main Competition (here’s my review), where it won the top Crystal Globe competition prize. Featuring Tilda Swinton as the voice of Scottish painter Wilhelmina Barns-Graham, better known as “Willie”, this feature documentary tells the story of a remarkable artist and a magnificent obsession. Exploring the pivotal 1949 experience atop Switzerland’s Grindelwald glacier that reshaped the British modernist painter’s artistic perspective for decades to come. Made with the support of the Wilhelmina Barns-Graham Trust, the film delves into her archives, private notebooks and diaries from her 65-year career. Two decades after her death in 2004, the film represents a major reassessment of Barns-Graham’s life and work, and her place in 20th century art. She is a really amazing artist and watching this doc was the first time I had ever heard of her. You must watch just to get a glimpse at many of her magnificent paintings especially all the mountains.

Trailer and Posters

Here’s the trailer (+ posters) for Mark Cousins’ doc A Sudden Glimpse to Deeper Things, on YouTube:

About the Film

One day in 1949, a young Scottish painter climbed a Swiss glacier. The experience rewired her brain, and transformed her art. Barns-Graham was synaesthetic – associating letters, names, people with particular colours – and Cousins explores how her neurodiversity and her encounter with the glacier shaped her vision of the world. Born and raised in St Andrews, Barns-Graham was a member of the St Ives group of modernist artists, who lived in the small Cornish seaside town from World War II onwards. The glacier paintings inspired by her experience in Switzerland were the breakthrough in her artistic career. Through a cinematic immersion into her art and life, the film explores themes of gender, neurodiversity, climate change, and the nature of creativity from youth to old age. A Sudden Glimpse to Deeper Things is directed by Irish cinephile filmmaker Mark Cousins, director of many cinema doc films previously including The Eyes of Orson Welles, Women Make Film, The Film That Buys the Cinema, A Story of Children and Film, The Storms of Jeremy Thomas, The Story of Film: A New Generation, My Name Is Alfred Hitchcock, plus the original The Story of Film: An Odyssey (2011) series. Produced by Adam Dawtrey and Mary Bell. This initially premiered at the 2024 Karlovy Vary Film Festival. Conic Film debuts A Sudden Glimpse to Deeper Things in UK cinemas starting October 18th, 2024 this fall. No US release has been set yet – stay tuned.

Conclusion

A Sudden Glimpse to Deeper Things is a captivating documentary that delves into the life and art of Wilhelmina Barns-Graham, a remarkable Scottish painter. With stunning visuals and a fascinating narrative, this film is a must-watch for art lovers and anyone interested in the creative process.

FAQs

Q: What is the film about?
A: The film is about the life and art of Wilhelmina Barns-Graham, a Scottish painter who had a pivotal experience on a Swiss glacier in 1949 that transformed her art and perspective.

Q: Who directed the film?
A: The film was directed by Mark Cousins, an Irish cinephile filmmaker known for his work on documentary films.

Q: When does the film premiere?
A: The film premiered at the 2024 Karlovy Vary Film Festival and will debut in UK cinemas on October 18th, 2024.