a painter’s odyssey
a painter’s odyssey
The directors incorporate archive material, canvasses, photos, reminiscences and writings into their film, built up as an odyssey in 24 cantos, each with its own style. They paint an intriguing picture both of Cox’s artistic drive and the tragic dualism between dream and reality that tore at his personality and would eventually lead to self-destruction. In this context, Cox’s paintings are used to reflect the events presented or alluded to by the film. The 24 cantos are subdivided in accordance with the three phases in Cox’s life: 1919-1949 (Telemacheia), 1949-1969 (Odysseia) and 1969-1980 (Nostos). On its release, the film garnered much praise, not merely for its intricate construction which took it beyond the bounds of a conventional documentary, but also because it so successfully evoked the spirit of Cox."
Michel Apers, Belgian Cinema, Royal Belgian Film Archive, Brussels