AFI Docs 2021: The Lost Leonardo
afi docs 2021The modern art world is not one often known for its shocking mysteries and twist endings so whenever a story such as this comes out, it tends to attract a good amount of attention. Screening as part of the 2021 AFI Docs Film Festival, Andreas Koefoed's The Lost Leonardo tracks the journey of one of these rare mysteries and brings the audience along for the ride.
In 2008 when a seemingly new work by Leonardo Da Vinci was uncovered. Certified under questionable reason, the painting would become one of the highest-selling pieces of art of all time at auction. The story both in front and hidden from the public eye however was one filled with greed, misplaced trust, and exploitation. The true make-or-break element for mysteries is simply how interesting the story actually is. For one to promise insane twists and turns and not deliver on that promise can ruin a film even if every other element is handled with the utmost level of craft and skill. Especially in documentaries, this becomes an issue as the real world often cannot live up to the fully crafted world of fiction, yet the mystery of The Lost Leonardo is one of the few to truly live up to its own promises.
If it wasn't for some horribly unneeded spoilers in the opening credits of the film that plot the journey the audience is about to take, The Lost Leonardo is nothing short of insane. Audiences who miss those mentioned spoilers will genuinely not be able to predict what is going to happen around every corner in the best of ways. It is the type of mystery that draws audiences to the edge of their seats and just goes to show how crazy different niches of the world still can be.
Arguably the best thing within The Lost Leonardo is the perspective it gives the audience on the world of the art industry. Mainly due to the presentation of art in incredibly clean exhibits, it is the general idea that the world of art business is equally clean and precise. The Lost Leonardo exposes this however to be far from the truth. Operating almost like a series of New York Gangs, this is a dirty and manipulative world with individuals trying to make a quick buck with no concern for who or what they end up hurting. Even the seemingly most pure individuals have the potential and willingness to stab someone in the back leading to a network of mistrust and paranoia. There are hints here of a similar craziness found in documentary projects like Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness that truly could captivate any audience regardless of their interest or experience in the art industry.
The key difference between the film and a project like Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness however is craft. The Lost Leonardo is ultimately an incredibly messy documentary that tends to get lost in the tangents and paranoia of its own subjects. For everything one wants to say about Tiger King, the series always was able to steer the ship to give a focused and purposeful direction. The Lost Leonardo fails to do this. While never overly terrible, the film can create a confusing portrait of various individuals who are set on pushing their own agendas by taking each other down. For audiences, this can be a somewhat confusing and ever overwhelming experience that can cause the film to self-destruct its own momentum.
The Lost Leonardo might not be the next documentary masterpiece, but it is a film clearly worthwhile checking out. Even for audiences who do not care about the art industry or do not normally seek out documentaries, this is juicy and shocking enough to be a rewarding and engaging viewing experience.
