Documentary 'Il bacio di Klimt' Reveals Secrets of Klimt's Masterpiece

A new documentary titled 'Il bacio di Klimt' will screen in Italian cinemas as a special event on January 30 and 31, distributed by Nexo Digital as part of the 'La Grande Arte al Cinema' project. Directed by Ali Ray and produced by Phil Grabsky with Exhibition on Screen, the film was made in collaboration with the Belvedere in Vienna, which houses the painting. The documentary explores the history, secrets, and effects of Gustav Klimt's 'The Kiss' (Der Kuss), painted in 1908. The work depicts a male figure kissing a female figure on the cheek, their bodies enveloped in gold and decorative patterns typical of the Viennese Secession style. The identity of the lovers is uncertain, but scholars suggest they may represent Klimt and fashion designer Emilie Flöge, with whom he had a long relationship; the tunics worn in the painting resemble those Flöge created in her atelier. The film uses archival materials and expert interviews to delve into the contradictions of early 20th-century Vienna. Director Ray notes that the image, while iconic, has become so familiar that people stop truly seeing it, and the film aims to remedy that. The documentary is part of the Cinema Revolution campaign.