New York, NY (Top40 Charts) Art Bastard Poster: "You can bastardize everything else in your life, but if you compromise with your art, why be an artist?" -Robert Cenedella
Gotham-based indie film distribution company CAVU
Pictures will release the award-winning documentary feature film ART BASTARD in theatres nationwide, beginning May 20th, 2016 in NYC at the Angelika Film Center and Lincoln Plaza Cinemas; June 3rd in LA at the Laemmle
Monica Film Center & Edwards University Town Center 6 in Irvine, CA and June 10th at the Angelika Pop-Up in Washington, D.C. The film will then roll out nationwide throughout the summer.
ART BASTARD is the mischievous tale of a rebel who never fit into today's art world… yet has become one of its most provocative, rabble-rousing characters nevertheless. By turns funny and touching, this portrait of New York painter Robert Cenedella - a contemporary of Andy Warhol who set himself up in the '60s as the anti-Warhol - uncovers a fascinating story of family secrets vs. personal identity, art vs. money, and conventional success vs. creating a life on one's own defiant terms. A quintessential New York story, ART BASTARD is as energetic, humorous and unapologetically honest as the uncompromising artist at its center.
What ART BASTARD shows, in stunning cinematic detail, are the living, breathing, storytelling canvases that Cenedella has created for six decades. Set to a rollicking soundtrack, the film not only tours Cenedella's life, it also tours his eye-poppingly intricate, NY-centered paintings as one might travel the city - peering into every corner to uncover Cenedella's characters, commentary and emotions. The result is a visceral art documentary that also has the sweeping impact of a feature film -at once an investigation of a man's identity, an inquiry into what art is and who it's for, and a feisty portrait of the ups and downs of a life lived on one's own terms.
Executive produced by Chris T. Concannon, the film is directed by Victor Kanefsky. The artist profiled in the film, Robert Cenedella teaches a much sought after class at the famous Art Students League in NYC, where as a student he studied under the late German satirical painter
George Grosz who had a huge influence on his life. ART BASTARD has been on the film festival circuit these last few months (including the
Santa Fe Film Festival, Orlando Film Festival, Big Apple Film Festival, etc.) and will be screening at the Newport Beach Film Festival next month. The film recently received the Best Documentary award at the Manchester Film Festival in the UK, and the Best Documentary Film & Best
Director awards at the Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema in Idyllwild, CA.
Beginning April 6th, select paintings of Cenedella featured in the film Art Bastard, including his famous mural that hangs at NYC's popular Le Cirque New York restaurant, will be on public display in the café and lobby of the Angelika Film Center in NYC, in celebration of the film and the artist.
CAVU
Pictures executives Isil Bagdadi & Michael
Sergio negotiated the deal directly with the film's executive producer Chris T. Concannon of Concannon Productions, the film's production company.
CAVU's Co-Founder & President of Distribution, Isil Bagdadi said: "Art Bastard is incredibly timely, given that once again we are in the season of revolution - which always provides a fertile canvas for a lifetime rebel and artist like Robert Cenedella who after years of being rejected by the art establishment, continues to take great joy in poking holes in their self-righteous balloons with the point of his art."
CAVU's Co-Founder & CEO, Michael
Sergio said: "It's a thrill to find an incredible doc like Art Bastard that so clearly shows an artist's struggle played out against the decayed yet colorful backdrop of NYC in the 60's, 70's & 80's."
For press & distribution inquiries please contact:
Isil Bagdadi, CAVU
Pictures / CAVU PR
Office: 212-246-6300 Email: ib(at)cavupictures(dot)com
For more info about the film go to: https://www.artbastard.com
For more info about Robert Cenedella and his art go to: https://www.rcenedellagallery.com
TWITTER: @ArtBastardFilm INSTAGRAM: @ArtBastard FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/ArtBastardFilm
"You can bastardize everything else in your life, but if you compromise with your art, why be an artist?"
