Documentary on Leonardo's Salvator Mundi to Screen in Italian Cinemas

The documentary 'Leonardo. Il capolavoro perduto' (Leonardo. The Lost Masterpiece), directed by Andreas Koefoed, will be released in Italian cinemas on March 21, 22, and 23, 2025, distributed by Nexo Digital. The film explores the mysterious journey of Leonardo da Vinci's Salvator Mundi painting, from its rediscovery as a damaged and neglected work to its controversial authentication and record-breaking sale. It features interviews with key figures including conservator Dianne Modestini, curator Luke Syson, and scholars Martin Kemp, Maria Teresa Fiorio, Frank Zöllner, Alison Cole, and Bernd Lindemann. The documentary premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and the Rome Film Fest. Koefoed describes the story as 'stranger than fiction,' highlighting how the painting became a global celebrity within 12 years and examining the interplay between capitalism, myth-making, and the art world's most powerful institutions and individuals. The film's visual concept, developed with cinematographer Adam Jandrup, draws inspiration from Renaissance painting techniques, including da Vinci's sfumato, and features interview subjects looking directly into the lens, echoing Christ's gaze in the Salvator Mundi. Koefoed notes that the COVID-19 pandemic complicated production, requiring travel exemptions and remote interviews. The documentary aims to unravel the truth behind the painting's authenticity and the motivations of those involved.