INSPIRED BY A TRUE STORY.
THE MASTER OF LIFE.
I remember how it was.
I was lost.
Maybe not lost, but surely drifting.
I think those guys from the movies...
Starving on a raft provisional...
Suffering with the waves and looking for land...
Living hope.
Deep down, I had this crazy idea...
That he was destined for something big.
Not that I wanted to be noticed...
It was like I was destined to leave my mark on the world.
I remember well what happened that summer.
There was a wave of excitement around me .
I was connected to something that guided me since my birth...
Here and now, when I create...
's When I feel more confident.
Is when I feel I do the right thing...
A wave of emotions hit me...
Most of them is the best I've ever met.
But there is always an idiot to judge us by what we do.
What the hell.
The worst criticisms usually come from people...
Who have no idea of?? what we do...
Not have special gifts...
And get angry when we are happy...
Cheerfully and provoke us.
Unless, of course, we are leaving the uglier.
So that kind of person will hold our hand with pleasure...
And dance with us in the gutter saying, as they...
See how horrible it is and they love to celebrate.
But learned early...
That any idiot can see how things are ugly.
No need to gift for it.
So, this is a story adult.
If you decide to be cynical, is an unfortunate choice.
Cynics usually are right.
The Romantics are usually wrong.
But a romantic only need to be right once in a lifetime...
When choosing his true love.
I think this story really about love.
Maybe it was better if I just say that.
But then Nicholi would not know how I knew.
And it would be unfair to both of us.
PORT CHESTER, NEW YORK...
Have you seen my son? - No, Mr. Talia.
Should be painted.
What said, Mikey?
Nothing, sir.
John.
My goodness.
What are you doing?
John...
You like girls?
My father was a complete homophobe.
He catch me using brushes was almost the same as I get...
Oral sex with one of my friends.
Why do I ask these questions?
Is full of paintings of men with things out.
This is hard to do, you know?
Draw the contours and make the shadows.
Do not do it because I like men, do it to be a good artist.
Only...
Do me a favor, take your friends Wall.
Mother? - Yes, Johnny.
Can you tell me something?
What do you think of this?
Seriously.
My goodness.
It's beautiful, Johnny.
Very beautiful. - Really?
You got ink on your hands? - No.
Are you sure? - I just wash.
Take.
I want you to wear this. Drop it.
Take. - Dressing?
Do you want me to wear this?
No, I just want to hold.
Here? - Yes, for me to see.
My mother was born in Germany.
She was 16 years old, when the Allies stormed Berlin.
I had another child to talk...
Because I was busy digging traps since age 11.
She was also a woman very complicated and troubled.
Though he knew she hated what the Nazis did to our country...
Think she secretly hoped by the Germans in the war movies.
Gonna be beautiful.
Knew who inherited his talent from me?
Thank you.
Good.
Very good, John.
Johnny?
Try not to use so much black.
Try to find...
Colors...
Streets.
And always try to find the colors in the shadows.
Violet, blue, green.
In other words, do not use both black.
Thank you.
And always look for the design. There is design in everything.
Come here.
You see the telephone poles?
None is righteous, mostly in a good frame.
A is a little left. Other, slightly to the right.
You see the shadows across the street?
See how bind to the concrete of the building?
Yes - Think in the abstract.
Okay.
I will frame this.
Yammi, can not afford the gold leaf.
Who said I was going to charge?
No, no.
John, no favors.
No favors. Pay it.
Okay.
Got it.
My goodness.
Is a Seroff.
I know, but...
How to get it?
I enquadrei for Joe Caresiro.
As a plumber may have a picture of these?
Not worth as much as before.
Why?
's Representative.
So what?
Is irrelevant.
By whom?
Critics.
Magazines art.
Fuck. This is gorgeous.
John, look at the mouth.
How much?
I do not know.
Seroff exchanged it for plumber services.
Really? He?? lives near here?
Yes, down the street.
Father, hear that? - Yes, that's wonderful.
Do you know him?
I guess nobody really knows.
I saw him a few times.
Really?
If you are thinking of going there...
Visit that old bastard...
I would not advise.
Him..
Crazy?
No had no use for them.
I'm not people.
And I love talking about art.
So, Johnny? Will bothering that old bastard?
Father, why do you always think I bother people?
Why do you bother. - I'm just excited.
This is Yammi...
Normal?
How so?
It is normal or is sensitive?
Sensitive. - If he's in a good mood?
You know what I'm asking. Do not pull a smartass.
Do not know what to say.
What is to be sensitive? - Shut up.
I do not know. - Stop.
I do not know. - John.
Who is?
Mr. Seroff?
Whatever?
I'm so beautiful that must be staring at me?
Is a handyman?
Whether gardening, mowing the lawn, prune the trees?
No, I... - No, no, no, what?
Is Nicholi Seroff?
Damn.
Yes, I am.
his books.
Leu?
I think it's brilliant.
I am brilliant?
Yes.
The use of color...
What you said about composition...
That trees are like naked people dancing on the slopes...
.
I say that?
Yes, also said that trees are like men.
Do not invade the space of another...
A lesson to be learned with nature.
No shortage, only abundance.
Yes, yes.
Damn.
It was nice talking to you.
Nicholi?
Is Yammi.
Yammi.
I'm fine, great.
I learned that a friend went to visit him the other day.
Yes, boy.
His name is John.
And I think he is talented.
He would come over there...
And talk with you about painting.
Yes.
Okay.
Good night.
He is not interested.
Not...
What did he say?
That was no time.
He was not interested?
Listen...
John, I forget if I were you.
To my knowledge, he had many problems ...
And it was a pain in his better days...
So imagine how it is now.
This is...
Very good.
Very good indeed.
Thank you.
Say, why us? Why here?
Mean...
Why not Pratt or Parsons School of Design?
Father?
What?
Asked his son if he thought about Pratt or Parsons.
Okay.
Okay, he will study here.
A Moment.
Mr. Seroff?
I would appreciate if you could talk to you.
Wait, wait.
The boy.
You again. What do you want?
First, do not want to bother you. It was not my intention. Sorry.
Good thing it was not his intention.
Just wanted to know...
If you give class.
No.
Do not I teach.
And do not paint.
You know I'm a friend of Yammi, right?
He ended up with you?
Now he wants you to be my problem?
Okay?
Do not trust anyone who does not drink.
How so?
If you do not drink, it means he wants to continue in the shadows...
.
I think we understand, is not it?
Now that is intimate can make jokes?
Sorry.
Not looking his muse.
Means that will teach me?
No.
Go to college.
Not teach painting actually there.
Of course not.
May God not allow teach something with form and substance.
Or something that makes people feel something...
Feel...
Is the enemy leadership.
Not may be smarter than them or crucify.
In my opinion, the painting died and never coming back.
The common man was unable to create.
Why? The common man's common sense.
Do not accept crap.
And the common man sees junk miles away.
Therefore, there is no place for it in art today.
There is a conspiracy against art today.
Do not these idiots untalented do not mind...
With the end of humanity. No.
But believe...
Still is a conspiracy.
A shared journey...
Is an experience more exciting...
What a journey made alone.
Humans...
Need validation. That's how we learn.
We fear what we do not understand.
Writers pass by something.
We need help.
The Art...
Shared...
Is part of the validation of feeling.
When there is no context...
No statement.
When there is no statement, no exchange.
When there is no exchange, no beauty.
When there is beauty, there is no art.
If you see beauty everywhere, in everything...
His soul is released.
No one can steal it.
I know that is true.
How do you know?
I just know.
Okay.
Believe in God?
I think so.
Does your prayers at night? - Yes...
...believed what is heard?
Yes.
In my opinion...
Atheists never be great painters.
To create an art major...
Man must make peace with mortality...
And revere the greatest reverenciador.
The duty of the artist is to elevate the human soul.
Ignorance leads us to this.
Men are crazy, are bitches...
They should hang at the Guggenheim...
Frame with childish fears.
It would make more sense.
You have to teach me that.
You must teach me how to paint.
No.
God mad...
And you would be miserable.
Do not do it for the money.
Good to know.
And if I bring my screens...
You look at them and tell me what you think?
Real quick?
No, I...
'm Going to Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania? - Yes...
Why? - I have a house there.
paint?
No, I have a girlfriend. A tall blonde with big breasts.
Really? - No.
And if I bring some screens before traveling?
'll Stop bothering me after?
Absolutely.
Good.
Tomorrow.
Go before I change my mind. - Thank you.
Did all this alone?
No help from anyone without class?
No class.
Good, because hate to think that someone paid...
To paint pictures so horrible.
There has not talent...
But...
...seeing things through the eyes of other men.
This one has good trees.
But I have seen these trees in multiple frames.
Branch This is beautiful. You stole Robert Wood.
Okay?
What is this?
Should be clouds or flying rocks?
Clouds are not so white.
Come, let us look.
These clouds look white to you?
Yes.
Fuck.
This is white.
See.
Is white.
Still look white to you?
My goodness.
That's it. Are hotter...
The summit is yellow, violet. - Great.
Now take.
So...
Yes...
Get your things and go.
Wish IHE luck. I wish IHE luck.
I thought we had an agreement.
Just wanted to thank you.
Thank you.
Joking. Come in.
Between.
Like that.
It makes me laugh.
My parents also like.
Mr. Seroff?
Stop calling me that, my name is Nicholi.
Okay.
Sorry. Nicholi?
Just want to know if I can see his studio.
Why?
I would like to see it.
The studio is not for boys.
Can I go alone, no problem. Just show the direction.
What?
Can I go alone. Do not need...
I do not want you going up there alone.
Damn.
Now I do not know what happened.
Sorry. Sorry.
Come on, you worthless.
Come.
My drink worthless.
Take a look.
Wow.
I could live here.
Yes, you and the rats.
What will you do on this screen?
Can take it, I do not use for anything.
I can not take it.
One day...
Guess ten years ago...
A fool says...
Representational art that was sentimental...
Past.
I said to myself: 'I'll give him a lesson, idiot.'
I'd pick my paintings...
And burn that magazine.
You say something nice, especially...
But then...
I said...
'Fuck. Who cares?'.
You cares what the critics think?
Are you kidding me, worthless?
No, you do not strike me as the kind of man ...
Who cares what people think.
This is all pretty much worthless...
But you're young.
And life will still be hard for you.
Really?
Why do you think I have an easy life?
Yet seen the worst.
What people are able...
Inflicting each other.
When I painted this, I always thought the big men...
Who stood in front of a screen before me.
Da Vinci, and his technique 'chiaroscuro'...
I'm sure that does not know what is.
Light and space. The natural recession of an object...
When is affected by light.
Great. Great.
Monet, Manet, Pizarro.
Renoir.
They made me see colors...
Mostly secondary colors.
Certainly not know what I speak. - I know.
Do you know?
Violet, green, orange.
Fechin know who that was? - Yes...
Who was that? - A Russian artist. Painted in towels.
Fechin was obsessed by the edges.
The two- objects in space.
Lines are human concepts.
There are no lines in nature.
I disagree.
John Carlson says in his book that all edge must be hard.
Okay.
Okay. Alright.
Teach me something useless.
Van Gogh and Redfield outlining everything.
True.
Making things less natural.
And, in my opinion, more expressive.
Life is too short to do simple paintings.
I need to show I was here.
Fuck.
I've been here.
Here. This planet.
Here. - Calm down, can hear it.
What is the first thing that looks? - The local color.
What is it?
Is the essence of the object before being affected by the fence.
Bravo.
Very Good.
Honestly, Nicholi, I can recite it.
I've read, I already know.
But...
Know what it means? I can apply to my work? No.
It is not surprising.
If I knew the answer, would be meaningless.
But these things can only be achieved with practice.
E...
This is very important...
You are allowed to make mistakes.
There is no secret.
Only work.
That.
That's right.
I want to work.
Can you talk about the progress art and not help me...
As someone surely helped in the past.
Is that fair?
Okay. Alright.
Great.
You can go to Pennsylvania with me summer.
Even if you have to kill him...
'll Teach him to paint.
If embrace me...
I kill him now.
Okay.
Are you saying you want to go to the interior with an old man?
Yes...
...is a great opportunity for me.
How? - He is a Russian master.
Great. It is Russian, no less.
Going back a communist and who knows what else.
Father, you have to let me do this.
No, will not do that, forget it.
Will work with me in the summer.
Bullshit.
Caution.
You can not arrest me well.
Johnny, no.
Do not do this to your father.
Sorry, mom, but knows he can not arrest me well.
You will not inward... - Why not?
With an old. - Why not?
How so 'why not'?
Do not be silly. Do you know why.
Wake up.
You know what he wants.
There is something wrong with you.
I hope this better touch than paints.
I'm going there in search of tranquility, not need noise.
Seeking quiet.
Okay. - Put in there.
I play bass.
Tell...
Parents agreed to it?
Yes.
Are you sure?
Yes.
They support me.
Okay then, let's go.
You can wash the car.
Want me to drive?
I drive for 47 summers.
Are you sure?
Absolute.
Get in the car, useless.
Come on. - Sorry. Sorry.
In the city where the man fully controls its environment...
I find it easy to believe that he is all.
But here, where accept the things...
As nature intended and not as we want...
Is liberating.
In a way, the pressure decreased...
Because I discovered that it was not so important.
accept the idea that a higher power...
Had a plan for me made me resign.
Everywhere I looked, through paintings.
Masterpieces passed in my mind.
I was saddened by Nicholi.
For his life's work not be considered important.
Did not understand how the supposed experts...
Could say something so ignorant.
About Them gave this power? Or, more importantly, that right?
Like beauty could be irrelevant?
A landscape that disappeared before our eyes...
With increasing approach of man...
Was the most irrelevant possible for me.
Is a pause. Need to pee.
Put?? things in my bed.
Upstairs.
Okay. Where do I put my stuff?
barn. Joke. In the first room on the right.
Comfortable, no?
Yes, it is.
Is not it beautiful?
This place...
Reminds me a little Rome.
Really? - Yes.
And Russia is so?
St. Petersburg...
Baltic Sea...
My boy...
Are beautiful.
I grew up...
And studied English, German, Russian.
Lindo.
This place.
Yes, beautiful.
After the German attack...
There was little reason to stay.
I was stopped at the border by a young German soldier...
Should have their age.
He asked me where I was going.
I said I was leaving my country...
He had invaded.
And I wanted to be free.
And that if he did not, could shoot me.
But I would not stop walking.
Continued walking...
Walking...
Walk and walk.
And he did not shoot.
Was brave.
No, no.
I was not brave.
I was just too tired to care.
I'm half German.
Not going to shoot me?
Play.
Perhaps the soldiers have rabies.
Feels homesick?
I do not think much of it.
Can not go back.
If you could, again?
No.
I'm an American now.
I love my adopted country.
Really?
Of course it does. Do not you?
I think so.
Your worthless.
You have no idea what's in here.
In any other country...
Would be in the gutter, that is your place.
Calm. Did not mean it.
I am very happy.
I'm happy to be American.
I am very happy to be with you Why.
I am very happy for being American.
I am very happy to be with you Why.
Why am I a bastard a Russian Impressionist painter...
'll be a bastard of a painter.
American impressionist Russian.
You're hopeless.
Way no.
Beautiful, no?
Without any noise.
One thing that did not diminish in my life was the fear.
I began to realize that was in the middle of nowhere with this guy.
Maybe my father was right?
Maybe this old wanted to attack me.
I came to see if you are comfortable.
Yes.
Good night.
Okay.
I've never seen a human eat as much as Seroff.
He?? began eating half a dozen eggs in the morning.
A pound of bacon and at least six slices of toast...
With butter and marmalade and four cups of coffee.
This followed by tablets to pressure, heart...
And something that decreased blood sugar.
And last but not least...
He?? took a large dose of vodka...
What he did also the rest of the day.
Today you will paint.
Where is he?
What is this?
I liked.
Smells mother.
I liked.
How are you, my friend?
Curtis am Sunday.
It's good to see you. Very good.
You are great. - Is that for me?
Yes To remember the old days.
Something to show me? - Yes...
Come on. - Yes.
The exhibition was not as I expected.
I do not know...
Feel there is a great boredom.
People want to be shocked.
They want to panic, want to be caught in discomfort.
're Talking about art?
Is a moron.
Well..
I was invited to join the committee of art next month.
I'm also on the organizing committee and would like...
...juror.
Are you interested?
There will be painting or crap?
Progressive Art. - So, it's crap.
Nicholi,
with its classic style and his eye for what is true...
Do me a favor.
Sure, sure.
I will, if you can laugh.
Good.
So...
Knew the exhibition at the Tate?
No.
My God. Are junk hanging on the walls.
Mean...
Trash framed.
They did it on purpose?
I'm intrigued and you?
I am intrigued to know who paid to see.
And our young friend?
Is my guest.
He is interested in art?
Yes, wants to be a painter.
In old-fashioned or progressive?
Progressive or Classic?
It needs a label?
Yes, we tag, to facilitate discussion.
Do not mean to be rude...
But do not know if I can label.
Please. Try.
Do you hear the rain?
She hits the roof...
Window...
There is thunder...
I think about it.
Is a moment...
Only exists now.
Once it exists, is the memory.
Encounter peace about it. I like to catch these things.
Do not like to paint a picture...
Which is painted only by the image.
Sorry...
This make sense?
Yes.
Sharing experiences makes sense.
But it is representative, right?
I think so.
I'm curious.
What prevents to break it?
Is fear?
Fear of what?
From deepen?
Sorry, I do not know what you mean.
The representative is safe.
Safe? How did this?
Uses symbols.
Whenever we use a brush, create symbols.
Well, it's true.
Without saying that art representative is seriously undervalued now.
Is far from safe, not you think?
My God, you do not exist.
What do you think?
Need to arrange the wallpaper of the room.
Express something important. So here is.
Come on.
Think we're done.
Do not get up, okay.
My goodness.
What is? I'm not ugly.
No, it was not what I meant.
I understood.
Nicholi is?
I'll leave it here.
If you want, I can wake him.
No.
Do not need to do this.
I'll make coffee. - Okay.
So...
Is the handyman?
No.
Not?
So, who are you?
I am an artist.
Is an artist? - Yes...
...not seem so sure.
Yes, I am.
Must be talented.
Nicholi does not accept students of art.
Well..
Now I'm just tidying up.
So, is the handyman.
No.
I heard voices.
Nicholi. - Hello.
Good to see it.
Place the bed in place.
Let me see it.
Wonderful.
Linda.
I'm old.
Thanks for that. - Sure.
Apple.
'Put the bed in place.
I am Russian. Look at me.
Mando in young people. I'm great.'
Then reduce this.
This?
Show me another.
I like this.
But I'm a girl, Nicholi. - I know.
You know? - Yes.
What?
Nothing. - Need something now?
Show... - But if you do...
Think your house will look very feminine.
Do not you think? - I do not know.
I dirty.
And this?
Thank you.
The apple pie was delicious.
More next week.
Thank you.
Pleasure to meet you, John. - Thank you and goodbye.
It is quite a woman.
She is beautiful and amazing.
Women are wonderful creatures, are not they?
To be honest, not have much experience with them.
You...
Do not be mad, we...
Only we understand.
Share an experience. - I guess you can say that.
She lost a son.
A drunken idiot...
Trod.
She reminds me of my Anya.
My Anya.
She was beautiful and intelligent.
Not so clever, because married me.
She was a teacher at the same university where I taught...
...painting.
What happened?
She died.
It is quite simple, chose a woman because we think she's perfect.
And they choose us...
Because they want to make us perfect.
At twenty-somethings...
'll Remember what I said...
Nod and think: 'That crazy.'
At thirty-somethings...
Will remember a few words.
At 50...
Will say: 'That bastard Russian...
...was right about a lot.'
Keep laughing, idiot.
Enough of that. We'll see.
Sunday nights were important to Seroff.
He began to cook dinner morning.
There termites here.
The dinner seemed to last for hours.
Nicholi and Curtis sat, drank...
And spoke about the same thing arguing for years.
There is a place for...
A representative art.
there is a place for old school...
Whatever teaching methods conventional learning...
For the new school.
But only...
For reasons of documentation, historical reasons...
To show how the art was...
As opposed to what it will be.
That sucks.
Sorry, Sandra. - Do not worry, Nicholi.
After so many years already gotten used to you two.
And you? What do you think?
Well..
He understands the modern movement more than me.
Well..
She likes, in an intrinsic level, but...
Let's be honest, she graduated in Psychology...
And not in Art History. You know that, Nicholi.
I think is crazy.
What, my friend?
What needs to be trained to appreciate art.
I mean, it's like need a degree to enjoy music.
The art is no longer what it was a means of communication to the masses...
For what is now a medium to select.
And what does this have to do?
Are you a member of the masses, as it and the farmer down the street.
The farmer down the street...
Have very different interests from ours.
But art is a common denominator.
When you, Sandra, John, I...
And the farmer down the street...
We pause for a moment...
And appreciate something that connects us all...
The beauty of being alive...
This art.
The art divide us, not art.
You are very sentimental, Nicholi.
Speaks of sentimentality like a disease.
I say something funny.
What's the problem sentimentality?
No place in art.
Who said? - Please Nicholi.
Sentimentality is a way to express yourself...
Mediocre, mellow...
Indicating a lack of intellect.
Bullshit.
You're so intellectual...
Who became stupid, Curtis.
Feeling is condescending...
Is a human being...
Is knowing that life...
Is short.
A lot of short.
I know at my age.
If it is feeling.
I'm proud of that.
It's what you did...
I find very disturbing.
Cry...
Hurt, imagine...
Laugh...
Laugh even something...
Is a building block of our humanity.
Is what builds bridges.
Great Rembrandt, Van Gogh...
Monet, Renoir.
You talk of unrest, disorder...
Chaos, bloody chaos.
Sorry. - Alright.
I'm talking about a sector completely different...
...of the human condition.
But that has no place in art.
And the man from the ghetto, Nicholi.
Where is the beauty of its existence?
You know the ghetto...
Far as i know construct a rocket.
There must be beauty in the ghetto.
Many geniuses...
Born in the ghetto.
Need seek beauty there...
With people who come from there.
Not a...
...rich asshole who does not know anything about the ghetto...
That says 'wretched ghetto.
I feel your pain, I know everything.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry.'
Do you know what this is?
Is bullshit.
Is fucking bullshit.
Sorry.
Okay.
Thanks, Nicholi, for one more night wonderful and stimulating.
Alright, Curtis.
We will solve the problems of the world next time.
Combined, friend. - Right.
Good night, beautiful Sandra. - Thank you.
Good night.
Damn idiot.
COUNTY ART FAIR...
...knew it would not do so hot. Heat in August?
I hope that does not affect attendance. - Yes.
Here is the man of the moment, Nicholi Seroff.
Please know our friend and hostess...
Miss. Sally Huntington-Quail.
It is an honor to have him as a juror in our exhibition, Mr. Seroff.
My pleasure. Nicholi, please.
Hello, lovely Sandra. - Hello, Nicholi.
Can I?
Yes, you are just waiting, Nicholi.
What is this?
It Nicholi Seroff? - Yes.
Is it yours?
Yes.
What is the purpose?
Wheels mechanized.
Managed to more or less.
Lord accepts wine?
Under the table.
Here. Ready.
You can keep the bottle. - Thank you.
Welcome.
Is the artist?
Yes.
What do you mean?
I explore the two-dimensionality of the site.
Mean, your plan.
Yes.
It is flat, there is to explore?
The goal is to explore the plan.
I'm lost.
You know...
Is a trip that I made.
A journey?
Yes exploration of what it already is.
The plan?
Yes.
So...
Goes where?
I explore it.
What is now?
Yes.
Got it?
No.
PEACE.
My God.
See Nicholi this room was like seeing Marilyn Monroe in a freak show.
How was outnumbered, she had become a stranger.
Do you want anything?
A gallon of gasoline and matches.
Nicholi, having fun?
Amusing me?
Yes, I'm having fun.
You know...
If I live another ten years...
I see a bucket full of urine...
The modern art museum. Please help me.
Yes, let's go home. Let.
Nicholi.
These people are crazy.
Crazy.
E...
This crap too.
It's all crap.
People.
You see crap.
It's all crap. - Come on.
Crap. Crap.
Is an exhibition of madness and insanity.
And the madness is winning.
Madness is winning. - Come on.
This is the only thing... - Come on.
The only thing that makes sense here.
Ready.
Congratulations.
What is this?
I do not know anymore.
I tried to paint the house. I do not want the tree...
Change the perspective.
What was your first thought?
I do not know.
If you do not know, how will I know?
What do you say?
I had a good idea, but the lost.
No.
not had a good idea.
A good idea is not lost.
Monet paint this house with a bucket of manure.
He stood beside a wagon and painted.
I want you to pay close attention.
Never forget what I tell her.
Okay. - Never Forget.
Not understand anything. Only is making noise.
How not speak clearly...
Not say anything.
E is the same...
With the crap that produces.
Only...
Have an idea.
My companion arrived.
Can you do a favor?
Do not yell at me in front of her?
Sure, you can leave.
Hello.
Carla.
Brownies.
What are you doing?
Learning to speak clearly.
Is interesting.
I was not speaking clearly.
Okay...
I have to learn. - How are you?
Idiot. What are you doing?
Nicholi taught art therapy at a local school...
For special children.
It was nice to see that side of him.
The gentle man he could be.
And he seemed like a lot.
The...
...school teachers said that Seroff was the favorite guest.
Put more water. - Okay.
More water.
Yes, anyway.
Try.
Put?? more strength in the face.
And here in birds.
My goodness.
These children make more sense to me than.
Curtis Sunday.
You know...
Guess...
Is ready to paint.
It's beautiful.
Thank you.
Take.
If you get thirsty.
Thank you. Thanks again.
Hi, I want to thank and return your glass.
Thank you.
Are you okay?
Was not convincing.
Are you sure?
I'm just having a bad day.
Well..
I want the anime a bit?
When I'm having a bad day, like hot chocolate...
And chat with a friend.
Want some hot chocolate?
I have time, can not paint now.
The clouds are moving.
I'm making her feel better?
Yes...
...is.
If you...
Want to talk about something...
Can talk.
No.
It's nothing.
I'll talk a bit.
Seroff Why is so boring?
Is always in a bad mood, drinking.
I think he hates me.
If he hated...
You know.
're Telling me is the coolest he can be?
He told him about his wife?
Well..
A bit.
He told how she died?
No.
She was killed...
In Russia...
During the occupation of Stalin in something they call...
Of the Great Purge.
He was the only family escape.
This kind of guilt...
Never leaves him.
But if you think about it, he did nothing wrong.
Of course we did.
He survived.
Take.
Help me cut vegetables.
Why up so early?
Today will be busy.
Happy?
Demonstrates is how?
Cut smaller pieces.
Okay.
You are happy, are not you? - Yes, why not?
A man can not be happy?
Young Johnny is doing very well in school.
What wonder, Nicholi and John.
But and the work that was promised?
Is anxious, is not it?
Yeah. - Well..
I'll get.
- How about dinner?
Like this? - Yes.
Here.
's Progressive art.
Not my specialty, so I want to hear...
What you have to say.
This one.
My goodness.
Do not like...
Shut up.
You know...
Think so.
Yes, it is.
So, what do you think?
What do you think, darling?
Not my specialty, dear.
We know this, but can say what you think.
I think I will continue as a psychologist.
Please take a position.
Depth E?
Right, has depth.
Depth?
Is super deep.
Yes, it is super deep.
My God.
Let me see the next.
Yes.
My God.
My God, there's so much pain.
Pain? - The angularity...
Yes - Das lines.
E despair. A great sense of despair.
Yes.
E craving.
A lot of eagerness.
Lust, yes. - And a sadness.
Sadness and anger.
Is a yin and yang emotional. Do not you think, dear?
Absolutely. - Must see this, Nicholi.
You see the sadness.
Yes, I think it's very sad.
I was impressed.
I need to know this artist. This is...
More, I want to see more. - Yes.
This. Like this.
It is as if there were different styles work here.
If you do not know, I would say that there is more of a hand...
...working, but...
But there is a predominant theme.
Is...
Is a passive impression...
I would say...
Aimlessness.
Yes.
Lack of goal.
The artist expresses himself...
By minimalist.
created by the essential simplicity.
This has weight, focal point, secondary ideas...
Is totally coherent. E is purposeful.
And see it all...
On two blue squares...
And a coconut? - It is impossible not to see.
It's so obvious.
Yes.
It's so obvious.
'll Tell you what is so obvious.
Is that you only talk nonsense.
Please Nicholi.
As you said it is not their specialty.
This art is great and I think you're jealous.
These frames...
Special children are at school in which I teach.
What?
Genius, simplicity, longing.
All this is bullshit.
Bullshit.
Nicholi, this is not funny.
I think it's hilarious.
You know what, I will not be for coffee.
No, please stay...
And see the wonderful picture of a red car . Have anxiety.
Grab your stuff. Come on, honey.
Curtis, I have a wonderful picture of a dog.
What do you think? Is not it beautiful. - Enough.
Is a beautiful picture.
Is a work of art two mice oranges.
You know, Nicholi, you really mad.
I'm crazy. I'm crazy.
What's so funny?
I'm crazy.
You can stop laughing? - I freaked.
I'm crazy. I'm crazy.
Yes, yes.
Good day.
Yes.
What? What?
I came to see if you could teach me to paint.
What?
Paint?
Yes.
Paint what you want.
Wasps found in the attic.
Good.
Why not go for a ride?
I'm here for two hours and finally 'm getting something.
The sun moved in two hours.
I know said.
But I want to finish painting.
Go take care of wasps.
Why do not you do it?
Do not think I'm too old to climb the ladder ?
Do not climb the ladder and say how good it is.
What did you say, useless? - You heard me.
Agreed that I would come and you would teach me to paint...
I did not come to fix your home.
And the story that his father did not understand?
What do you know about my father?
What I know about it? He?? thinks I'm a gay old man.
You should know.
He just wants chicken...
Chicken, chicken.
Just know you've been drinking.
Want a lesson today?
I will show Him.
The sky is off.
Everything reflects the sky.
Here, look.
I'll put here. - What?
At all. - What is it?
Okay.
Thank you.
Must be improved.
Fuck.
What I damned?
Yes, damn it, Nicholi. - What would you like to eat for dinner?
What about fish?
I'm tired of meat.
Wasps are waiting.
Must be joking.
Come on, wake up.
Wake up, come on.
Come on, I'm hungry.
Come on.
Open.
My goodness.
The sky is falling. - Really?
Yes, it is... - I can tell.
Started when I was in the middle of the field.
Want a towel?
Would be nice. - You can take it.
Yes, sorry. I'm wetting everything.
Paint...
Is what you want to do? Want to live it?
I do not know. Never thought about it...
As a way to earn money, understand?
I know I love doing this, I feel passion...
Only talking about it get excited.
There is a place in New York called Grand Central Art Galleries.
I go up there and spend hours looking at those...
...beautiful.
I see...
And literally feel my heart beat faster.
I do not know how they manage.
If we 5cm Frame see only strokes...
Ink and color.
E...
...30 away...
We see a gorgeous frame.
It is as if we felt the wind blowing through the trees...
A sea breeze...
Wow.
Is...
I do not know how they manage to do this.
I know something inside me, somewhere...
Struggle to leave.
You'll get.
I do not know.
I like a lot.
There are other things I like to do.
Storytelling, make people laugh...
Love music.
Do you play anything?
Yes, guitar and sax.
Then is a true Renaissance man.
I do not know, maybe.
Looks like you're apologizing.
Things are tough at home, is not it?
The whatever is going on there...
Not worry...
You'll be fine.
Thank you.
Nicholi told me what happened to her son.
I wonder...
If someone took care of him.
Nicholi?
Something.
And her husband?
I've never been married.
Only got pregnant.
The father around?
Listen...
I know you feel guilty...
But should not.
Not done anything wrong.
You are very kind, John.
Do not let anyone make you give up what you want to do...
...
Who want to be.
Follow your heart.
Thank you.
You are beautiful.
Thank you.
I tried to wake him, was...
Overturned.
I better...
Take it home.
Good night, Nicholi.
Good night...
Carla.
So...
I...
Enter or...
Go?
I love...
But... - Go away.
I understand.
Thank you.
Well..
You...
She is my friend.
My friend.
Not yours.
I'm sorry.
I bet you do.
You are right, not sorry.
I want you to go away.
Okay.
Come into my life...
And turned upside down...
As if it was nothing.
How dare you?
You lied to me.
Do not lie.
I was helping...
But is too young...
Too stupid...
To see the gifts that I gave you.
Everyone present.
I want to go away tonight.
I will, and you go back to your bottle.
Feel sorry for yourself.
You do not understand.
Not understand.
I'm at the end of life...
And only see...
A bad life...
Front of me.
I'm early in my life and I see the same thing.
You had the world in his hands.
For five minutes.
Do not know if I'm good, I know nothing.
I do not know to go home.
I do not care.
No one cares.
Is what I was trying to tell her...
All the time.
The world is very ugly.
E killed...
The most beautiful thing...
I've ever seen...
My Anya.
My goodness.
She was so happy.
I remember her laughter.
Because...
She would never part of his ugliness...
Took her from me.
Knew you had something...
Even before seeing his paintings...
Before appearing at my door, remember?
But you...
Would be crazy to become a painter nowadays.
No heroes.
No Van Gogh, Rembrandt, Monet...
Renoir no, nothing.
Expected it to be my hero.
I'm tired.
I am very...
Tired.
Nicholi?
Come, let us take breakfast.
Nicholi?
My goodness.
Gotcha.
You idiot.
Today we paint.
Not funny.
We went to the field that morning...
And it seemed another person.
His palette...
Should always be the same.
Your colors are like the keys of a piano.
Musicians need to be always in the same place...
To express themselves.
The great painters do the same thing.
He showed me a lot.
He flooded me knowledge.
A life of secrets ran like a river.
The sun is like a woman...
When he kisses her warm lips...
It leaves a little color everywhere.
I began to see yellows, ochres, oranges and reds...
...everywhere.
And the forest is hot but calm. The opposite of war.
Not only about the color temperature...
But it is the opposite on the color.
The forest has yellow and purple.
The grass is green everywhere.
Where the light passes, is pink.
Got it?
It was amazing what he could do.
In a few seconds he turned something simple...
On something alive.
Must fight...
Must make way to give life to things.
You must feel the joy.
He?? showed me how to make the sky vibrate.
Bravo, John.
Bravo.
This is life.
I feel the shadows.
I feel the sun approaching.
The joy of it all.
Bravo, John.
I have to thank you...
The time he spent with me.
I is that I thank him.
No, you showed me something...
I thought I would not see.
Thanks, Nicholi.
Thank you.
Better...
Say goodbye to his girlfriend.
Do not you think?
She's not my girlfriend, Nicholi.
Leave a note, a beautiful letter or something.
Great, great.
I'll wait here.
Dear Carla...
You were right...
I was lost.
But finding my way was very sweet and rewarding.
His words always accompany me.
Find your dreams too.
With Love...
John.
've Put your bags upstairs.
Thank you.
Whither?
I do not know.
I have to solve.
Good luck.
I went to the park and drew for hours...
Rehearsing what to say to my parents.
Finally, I thought would be better to face them...
And let fate take care of the rest.
Health.
'Dastrovia'. - 'Dastrovia'.
I enjoyed myself.
Good, I'm glad to hear that.
We were talking about you.
Your friend Nicholi is a good man.
It is.
He?? was telling me how to have a good time.
Glad you're back. - Thank you.
Heard you met a girl.
Yes - Is it true?
Yes...
Want a drink? - Please.
Come on. - Yes.
Come.
It's good to see you.
Honey?
Good...
Your teacher...
Came to see his father.
Learned something?
Yes, mother.
A lot.
Good.
It is very good.
I still do not know what Nicholi said to fix things.
But no matter.
My father and I never talked about what happened that summer.
Never went to college.
Chose to study in the museum.
Especially art.
But there are other things in life.
Not helping. - I can not fix.
I'm terrible at this. - A little.
I understand a bit, but can not get it from here.
So.
It is the artist. He?? should do this.
Where are you going? - I'll take this one for Nicholi.
You said you'd help me to clear the entry.
And I will. I do it when I return.
Okay.
Take care.
There is a lot of ice on the road. Drive carefully.
Okay.
See his mother.
See how she looks.
Look at you.
You are beautiful.
Dear.
Nicholi?
's How I like to remember it.
Your brush dancing on the screen...
Like a ballerina dancing on stage.
I would say that Nicholi lived many more years.
That I had given him a gift or a reminder of what he had been.
But I think it would be very presumptuous of me...
.
And perhaps a lie.
Nicholi died that spring.
A part of me died with him.
I stopped painting for many years.
FOR JOHN.
Heard he left the house for Carla.
She had designed most of it...
And I think we both knew it would end like.
Other interests have led me to the west coast...
But as he grew older...
More ideas Nicholi returned to guide me.
And all the gifts he gave me.
Still see men as trees.
How naked people dancing on the hillside.
Clouds are everywhere in where angels soar.
It took me years to realize that Nicholi had died...
But the whole time he was here, living inside me.
Waiting patiently me to share my journey.
But most important for me...
Kept his promise long...
's Heart Nicholi would be my home...
Everyday of my life.
IN 1991 JOHN TALIA MADE HIS FIRST EXPOSURE.
THE GRAND CENTRAL ART GALLERIES IN NEW YORK.
SAME GALLERY representing Nicholi Seroff.
THIS FILM IS DEDICATED TO THE REMEMBRANCE OF GEORGE Cherepov.
AURIELLO YAMMERINO ARTHUR J. Ornitz.
THREE MEN WHOSE LOVE AND PATIENCE CHANGED MY LIFE.
MASTER OF LIFE.