Future Highlights

*New Series*
Concrete Canvas
Think of street art and you may think of Parisian chalk painters and rebel graffiti artists, but Julian Beever is a street artist like no other. He creates trompe-l'oeil chalk drawings which, when complete, create stunning optical illusions filled with depth, life and colour. He creates a projection in his works which is called anamorphosis, which causes a very realistic 3-D effect when viewed at a certain angle. Sky Arts follows him on his artistic mission around the world as he tries to find the best pavements, sidewalks and walls for his visually stunning art. From cities in Europe, America and across the world he creates pictures inspired by the places he visits.
Tuesday 1 July 20.00

 

Graffiti - Tags to Riches
Graffiti artists, like Banksy, were once considered vandals, but now their work is sold by Sotheby’s and Bonham’s for hundreds of thousands of pounds. Graffiti is still illegal and continues to divide communities over where vandalism ends and art begins. This documentary looks at the way the West’s graffiti is developing from simple ‘tagging’ spray-painted murals to stencil work, street installations and pre-fab paper cut-outs, and how these changes in practice show that graffiti has started to have more in common with mainstream art than its rebellious origins. Bringing artists, taggers, council members and resident groups together, the wider implications of graffiti are debated. After all, with £100,000 of tax payers’ money each year spent on removing the tags from the streets, is it art or vandalism?
Tuesday 8 July 21.30

*Mostly Mozart Season*
*Premiere*
In Search Of Mozart
Sky Arts presents a series of five classic Mozart operas in July, including Don Giovanni, recorded in high definition in celebration of Mozart's 250th birthday in 2006, as well as the UK premiere of the first ever major feature-length documentary on Mozart’s life, In Search Of Mozart.

Mozart was a unique and unparalleled musical genius, born with an amazing gift. At an early age he started to compose small pieces and at five he was believed to have created and played compositions faultlessly. This biography journeys through the places touched by Mozart, from his birth place and family home in Salzburg, through the heart of old Europe to the places which inspired his work. Juliet Stevenson narrates this comprehensive film which includes interviews with Ronald Brautigam, Renée Fleming, Magdalena Kožená, Lang Lang and the Skampa Quartet, the Salzburg Camerata and many other leading Mozart experts, performers and musicians.
Tuesday 15  July 21.00

 

*Premiere*
Tim Marlow on Klimt
Sky Arts art critic Tim Marlow heads to the Tate Liverpool, a gallery at the centre of the celebrations for the 2008 European Capital of Culture, for the first comprehensive exhibition of Gustav Klimt’s work in the UK. Giving a retrospective of the artist’s life and career, Marlow reveals Klimt's huge influence while highlighting some of his most impressive works. A highly revered artist, Klimt was a founder of the Viennese Secession, a progressive group of artists who held a unique artisan philosophy and embraced art, architecture, fashion, objects and furniture in their search for identity.
Tuesday 8 July 21.00

*Premiere*
Backstory - Terence Davies On The Trilogy
Director Terence Davies gives his thoughts on his famous semi-autobiographical trilogy of films, three masterpieces that marked him as one of the most original British film-makers of the late 20th century.  In each film, Davies focuses his attention on different periods in the life of his protagonist, Robert Tucker. Discover the memories of the communality of working-class life and the old forms of entertainment which inspired Davies to create his poignant and captivating work.

Afterwards, Sky Arts screens all three restored classic British films in high definition. The first film, Children, follows a young boy's troubled childhood in Liverpool, beautifully capturing the mysteries and miseries of pubescence. In Madonna & Child, Davies' awkward child is middle-aged and enduring a monotonous existence as a clerk, still living with his elderly mother and tormented by Catholic guilt over his homosexuality. In the concluding chapter, Wilfrid Brambell gives an astonishingly brave performance as Tucker, now struck speechless on his death-bed looking back over his life.
Tuesday 1 July 21.00

*Premiere*
Cornell Lucas: A Portrait [HD]
Brigitte Bardot, David Niven, Lauren Bacall and Bob Hope are just a few of the famous stars who posed for the legendary photographer Cornell Lucas. He found fame producing some of the most recognisable celebrity portraits of the 20th century and his vast portfolio includes some of the most glamorous and iconic figures of that era. Here he talks about his life and work, focusing on how his first portrait of Marlene Dietrich, who approvingly commented on his prints, “Thank you Mr Lucas, join the club”, helped launch his prestigious career.
Sunday 6 July 20.50

*Premiere*
Jimmy Rosenberg - The Father, The Son And The Talent
Jimmy Rosenberg was a virtuoso guitarist with the world at his feet, but his life, like those of so many musical geniuses, was haunted by drugs and psychiatric problems. Touted as the next Django Reinhardt, Jimmy's guitar skills were second to none and, at the age of just 15, he signed a million-dollar contract with Sony. With the help of his ambitious father, Jimmy toured extensively, performing several concerts, culminating in a packed gig at the famous Carnegie Hall. But as life on the road and the intense pressure of stardom started to take their toll, Jimmy began to lose control of his life. Discover the story of the disintegration of a family, a father in prison for murder and a destructive drug addiction which sent Jimmy over the edge. This is the fascinating story of a truly prodigious talent, battling his inner demons and trying to get his life back on course.
Tuesday 22 July 21.00

Former Lebanon hostage John McCarthy presents an exclusive new series exploring some of the world's most breathtaking religious architecture and art. Taking in a variety of sites from across the globe, from the home of Catholicism in Rome, to the Western Wall in Jerusalem, as well as places of worship slightly closer to home, John witnesses stunning structures and breathtaking artwork from a host of different religions.

The first episode looks at the architecture of Islam exploring both ancient and modern sturctures. With contributions from architects, scholars and worshippers the dynamics of amazing religious buildings are explored including The Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, The Mosque at Kairouan in Tunisia, The Great Mosque, Cordoba, Spain and the Blue Mosque in Istanbul.

Episode two takes a look at the iconic architectural buildings of the Jewish faith and features interviews with architects, leading scholars and enthusiastic worshippers, who help untangle the elements of design which make these special buildings prominent symbols of faith and unity. The buildings explored in this episode include the Masada Synagogue in Israel which dates from the 1st century, the Bevis Marks Synagogue in London, the Dohany Street Synagogue in Budapest, Hungary, and the Central Synagogue in New York which dates back to 1872.  

In the final part of the series John McCarthy narrates a retrospective of some of Christianity's most spectacular architecture. From Durham Cathedral and St Peter’s Basilica, Rome, to the Cathedral of Our Lady of Chartres in France and the modern Chapel of St Ignatius at Seattle University, hear from architects, scholars and worshippers who reveal the importance of the aesthetics of the these special places of worship.

UK Premiere

Centre Stage: Robert Plant & The Strange Sensation [HD]

Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant gives an exhilarating performance during a fast-paced set with The Strange Sensation, featuring solo hits and covers, as well as dramatically revamped versions of his iconoclastic Zeppelin songs.

Saturday 9 August 21.00

UK Premiere

Touch Me Someplace I Can Feel

Documentary about the provocative American cartoonist John Callahan, who was paralyzed from the waist down in a car crash when he was 21. Drawing cartoons has become a way of expressing himself and, although he can barely use his hands, Callahan's work has garnered widespread praise from the likes of Robin Williams and Tom Waits, who feature here. Actor Williams purchased the rights to Callahan's autobiography, stating: "It's painful comedy, as good comedy is", though he has been frustrated in his efforts to bring it to screen.

But Callahan's cynical and satirical work has also received criticism in equal measure. His cartoons have provoked protest marches and he was fired from The Miami Herald for an incendiary cartoon featuring a young Martin Luther King Jnr. But the unapologetic artist takes it in his stride, determined not to be daunted or defeated by his situation. Touch Me Someplace I Can Feel is a fascinating insight into a man who doesn't want to be pitied or, worse, ignored.

Tuesday 19 August 21.00

UK Premiere

Who's Afraid of Michel Gondry?

Gondry's long-time friend, director of photography and former flatmate Jean-Louis Bompoint directs an intimate profile of the Oscar®-winning writer and director of Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind. Gondry went from animator in a cramped apartment, to a revered and influential filmmaker, whose revolutionary directing style and pioneering of the 'bullet time' technique have set him aside as one of the most original and creative directors of recent years. Contributions from his loyal producer, Georges Bermann, his bandmates Oui Oui and actors Alain Chabat, Charlotte Gainsbourg and Aurélia Petit help chart the evolution of a charismatic and sought-after talent.

Tuesday 12 August 21.00

Andy Warhol: The Complete Picture

Sky Arts marks what would have been Warhol's 80th birthday with this two-part definitive portrait of one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. Artist, filmmaker, celebrity and diarist, Warhol saw no distinction between high and low-brow culture, playfully fusing together the principles of art and commerce and, in doing so, almost single-handedly gave birth to our own conception of post-modernism. With contributions from Dennis Hopper, Mick Jagger, Debbie Harry and Donatella Versace, this documentary examines both his artistic and personal impact on society.

Wednesday 6 August 20.00

Entertaining The Troops

Sky Arts presents Robert Mugge's film documenting Hollywood's contribution to the war effort during WWII, supporting GIs with performances, shows and fundraising. Featuring archive footage of Bing Crosby, Abbott & Costello, Bob Hope, the Andrew Sisters, Lucille Ball, Humphrey Bogart and Marlene Dietrich, Mugge's film captures the frantic but unified spirit in Hollywood, as the stars rallied to support the troops overseas.

Friday 15 August 17.30

Friday Night Hijack

Sky Arts hands over control of its Friday Night schedule in August, with Steven Berkoff and Bonnie Greer among the guests who will be picking a selection of programmes that have influenced, inspired and entertained them. The award-winning author of Chocolat and Blackberry Wine, Joanne Harris, is first to take over the curator role and her selections include: Sergio Leone - Once Upon A Time, a documentary charting the life and career of the influential director; Matthew Bourne's acclaimed modern reinterpretation of Swan Lake; and a horror film set in 14th-century Japan, Onibaba.

Fridays from 20.00

The Naked Pilgrim

Art critic and historian Brian Sewell embarks on a pilgrimage from London to the shrine of Santiago de Compostela in Spain, offering his inimitable opinion on some of Europe's most famous cathedrals and churches along the way.

In the first episode, Sewell departs for Paris, the traditional meeting point for pilgrims across Europe. After visiting the Sainte Chappelle, the Sacre Coeur, Montmatre and the Notre Dame, his pilgrimage beings in earnest.

Sunday 10 August 19.30

*New Series - Channel Premiere*

Peter Ackroyd's Thames [HD]

Author Peter Ackroyd takes viewers on a tour of one the world's most famous rivers, in a new series inspired by his recent bestseller: Thames: Sacred River. Examining the Thames in all its moods, Peter meets the people who have grown up on its banks, and finds out how painters, poets, writers and musicians have portrayed it down the centuries. His journey takes him from the source of the river, deep in the Oxfordshire countryside, to the mysterious place where it meets the open sea and captures the river's "unending cycle of movement and change".

Thursday 4 September 20.30

*Channel Premiere*

Centre Stage: David Gilmour: Live at the Albert Hall - Remember That Night [HD]

David Bowie, Robert Wyatt, David Crosby and Graham Nash are among the special guests joining Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour to perform tracks from his 2006 album On An Island, as well as some Pink Floyd classics, including Wish You Were Here and Comfortably Numb. Performed live in front of fans at a packed Royal Albert Hall, the concert will be screened in high definition for the first time.

Saturday 6 September 21.00

Johnny Cash Night

Sky Arts pays tribute to Johnny Cash on the fifth anniversary of his death, dedicating a night of programming to the Man in Black. The night begins with the documentaries Anthology and Half A Mile A Day, featuring rare archival footage, photos and commentary from those who knew him. Cash's iconic performance in front of the inmates of San Quentin follows at 22.30. Intercut with interviews with prisoners and guards, Cash gives a rousing performance of hits, including Jackson, A Boy Named Sue and I Walk The Line. The evening concludes with his appearance at the 1994 Montreux Jazz Festival, with support from his wife June Carter.

Friday 12 September 20.00

*UK Premiere*

John Waters: This Filthy World [HD]

Curb Your Entusiam's Jeff Garlin directs Hairspray writer/director John Waters in his one-man, vaudeville act. Unafraid to tackle such taboo topics as paedophilia, gay marriage and drug use, Waters discusses his early negative artistic influences, his fascination with true crime, exploitation films and fashion lunacy, and the extremes of the contemporary art world. This joyously devious monologue from the 'Pope of Trash' elevates all that is trashy in life into a call to arms to 'filth followers' everywhere.

Thursday 18 September 22.30

*UK Premiere*

Back Story: Moebius Redux [HD]

Profile of one of the most influential comic strip illustrators and authors of all time, Jean Giraud. He achieved worldwide recognition not only for his comic book work, often under the pseudonym Moebius, but also for his artistic input into a host of hit films, including Tron, The Fifth Element, Space Jam and Alien.  Winner of Best Documentary and Best Picture at San Diego ComiCon!, Moebius Redux features Marvel Comics legend Stan Lee and American comic book artists Jim Lee (X-Men) and Mike Mignola (Hellboy), as well as Alejandro Jodorowsky and Dan O’Bannon (Alien), discussing the breathtaking work of a true visionary.

Tuesday 9 September 21.00

*UK Premieres*

Sky Arts Goes Green [HD]

Sky Arts goes green in September, with a range of environmentally conscious programmes including the UK premieres of: The Greening Of Southie, a documentary following the triumphs and hardships of a construction team that sets out to build Boston’s first residential green building; Big Ideas For A Small Planet, a topical documentary series examining some of the most important environmental concerns facing humanity; and Manufactured Landscapes, a documentary following the work of photographer Edward Burtynsky as he travels the world, observing changes in the landscapes caused by industrial work and manufacturing.

Big Ideas For A Small Planet [HD] - Monday 15 September 19.30

The Greening Of Southie - Sunday 21 September 20.00

Manufactured Landscapes [HD] - Sunday 28 September 20.00

*UK Premiere*

A Day To Remember

"Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few." Winston Churchill, 20 August 1940

Originally conceived by Bill Bond, founder of the Battle of Britain Historical Society, The Battle of Britain Monument on London's Victoria Embankment is a lasting mark of respect commemorating the 'few' who fought bravely and tenaciously against the Luftwaffe, causing the Germans to postpone and eventually cancel their invasion plans. This film documents the struggle faced by the project managers, who oversaw the creative process from concept to construction, as artist Paul Day set about sculpting one of London's newest, and most overdue, monuments.

Monday 15 September 18.00