(2010, dir. Jarred Alterman, 52 mins., USA) A favorite at the 2011 South by Southwest Film Festival and recent Best Documentary winner at the Boston International Film Festival, Convento is a mesmerizing film about art as a way of life. This subtle documentary follows Dutch artist Christiaan Zwanikken, who, along with his brother and mother, lives creatively in a 400-year old monastery in Portugal called Sao Francisco. Zwanikken resurrects deceased local wildlife by reanimating their skeletal remains with servomotors and robotic engineering. His mother and brother pursue their own paths, tending the flora and fauna. Convento’s camera is perpetually in motion, tracking through the monastery and its surrealist storybook landscape, immersing viewers in the daily lives and attitudes of three individuals living at the nexus of art and nature. “Strange, occasionally disturbing, and frequently lovely,” writes Matt Singer of the Independent Film Channel. Experience this film in the serene setting of 100 Acres’ Ruth Lilly Visitors Pavilion. Film shown in Blu-Ray.

Preview the film's trailer below:

Free for IMA Members.

Tickets for this event can also be purchased from an IMA Visitor Services representative in 100 Acres at the Ruth Lilly Visitor Pavilion, 45 minutes before the event. Credit cards preferred.