Art by Grandma Moses as photographed by Bosc D'Anjou.
Creativity is not the sole property of the young. People develop and grow throughout the lifespan. The work of mature artists demonstrate this. Some discover their passion to create late in life, such as the oft-cited Grandma Moses. Others work consistently on their art throughout their entire life span.What follows is a list of films that celebrate the creative work of mature artists.
Young @ Heart (2005) featuring a choral group of mature singers. Some of the group members face health challenges, but they push themselves in order to participate, showing a triumph of will.
The Cats of Mirikitani (2006) featuring 80-year-old painter Jimmy Mirikitani (b. 1920). The film maker found him living on the streets of Manhattan. But she soon discovered his rich history as a Japanese internment survivor and saw his talent for panting.
A Man Named Pearl (2006) featuring topiary artist Pearl Fryar (b. 1939) who sculpts trees and shrubs in his Bishopville, SC yard into amazing works of art. He found his talent in late life and inspire others with his work.
Gerard Richter (2011) featuring painter Gerhard Richter. A life-long artist, Richter (b. 1932) still is quite prolific in late adulthood.
Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2011) featuring sushi chef Jiro Ono (b. 1925) who was 85 years old during filming and still putting in full days at his sushi restaurant, which has earned 3 Michelin stars. He is the oldest recipient of the award.
I am painfully aware that I have no women artists (!) aside from the women in Young @ Heart.
If you have a recommendation of a film featuring a female artist (singer, dancer, writer, painter, sculptor, chef, musician, etc.), I would be happy to view it and add it to this post. Just leave a comment. If she came to her art late in life, that would be preferred, but I'm open to life-long artists, as well.
Even though this list contains only documentaries at this point, I am open to feature films of fictional artists (or even a blend of both fiction and non-fiction: fictional films based on real people).
Thank youuuu!
Related:
Films Featuring Older Adults
