The True Story of Tamara de Lempicka & The Art of Survival will have its world premiere at the 2024 Mill Valley Film Festival on Friday, October 11 at the Sequoia Cinema in Mill Valley, with a repeat screening October 13 at the Lark Theater in Larkspur.

Tamara de Lempicka & the Art of Survival traces the life and survival of the renowned painter through her powerful paintings – from her rise to international stardom in 1920s Paris, to her move to the United States fleeing fascism in 1940, to her revival in the current art market. The film follows this remarkable refugee as she reinvents herself multiple times, looking behind the veneer of the publicity she generated for herself and examining the bisexual, Jewish artist who embodied talent, resilience, passion, and a relentless pursuit of artistic freedom.

Her story is brought to life with never-before-seen 8mm home movies, along with stunning drawings and paintings that depict passionate, intimate relationships with both her male and female models. Barbra Streisand provides exclusive access to images of her private collection, while Madonna pays tribute to Lempicka, featuring her imagery in her videos and concert tour. Anjelica Huston lends her voice to the narration. Lempicka’s popularity soars today as one of her pieces recently sold at auction for over $21.1 million, marking the third-highest price ever paid for a work by a modern female artist. The film also reveals Lempicka’s true name, heritage, identity, for the first time through newly-discovered documents, including birth and baptism certificates that indelibly alter art history. 

The True Story of Tamara de Lempicka & The Art of Survival is an empowering story of a multi-talented, brilliant artist who captured a new woman, a new man, and a new society. Co-produced by Svetlana Cvetko, Neva Tassen, Blake Wellen, Jennifer Wallace, and written by Julie Rubio & Amy Harrison, edited by David Scott Smith & Nikki Hausherr. Additionally, 2024 will see a groundbreaking retrospective at San Francisco’s Fine Arts Museum, where, Tamara de Lempicka & the Art of Survival, will be featured for a special one day screening on January 11, 2025. 

About the director
Julie Rubio is an award-winning film producer, writer, & director. As President of Women in Film SF Bay Area & founder of East Meets West Productions, she produced the acclaimed East Side Sushi. She is also the director, writer, and producer behind Too Perfect, Six Sexy Scenes and A Murder, Everything is Temporary, Oakland Be Mine, and Impression. Her films have been distributed by industry giants Samuel Goldwyn, Sony Home Entertainment, HBO, Netflix, Apple TV, & Osiris. The True Story of Tamara de Lempicka & The Art of Survival marks her debut as a feature documentary writer, director, and producer.