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Art Bastard offers a lively, colorful and entertaining look at rebel artist Robert Cenedella, a painter of undeniable artistic talent and integrity who has been out of step with the trends of the art world most of his career. But at a time when people are looking for authenticity, painter Robert Cenedella’s moment many have come.

Director Victor Kanefsky delivers a fun, playful documentary that puts a greater focus on Cenedella’s color-drenched, satiric art work than it does on his biography, offering just enough of the personal to put the artist’s work in proper context. The 76-year-old artist’s career has spanned from the post WWII Abstract Expressionist movement of Jackson Pollack and Mike Rothko, to the Pop Art movement and Andy Warhol, to the present, without fitting into the mainstream trends. Recapping Cenedella’s career gives the audience a little overview of two art movements of...

Gotham-based indie film distribution company Cavu Pictures will release the award-winning documentary feature film "Art Bastard" in theatres nationwide, beginning May 20th, 2016 in NYC at the Angelika Film Center and Lincoln Plaza Cinemas; June 3rd in La at the Laemmle Monica Film Center & Edwards University Town Center 6 in Irvine, CA and June 10th at the Angelika Pop-Up in Washington, D.C. The film will then roll out nationwide throughout the summer.

The distributor describes the film as follows: "'Art Bastard' is the mischievous tale of a rebel who never fit into today’s art world… yet has become one of its most provocative, rabble-rousing characters nevertheless. By turns funny and touching, this portrait of New York painter Robert Cenedella – a contemporary of Andy Warhol who set himself up in the ‘60s as the anti-Warhol – uncovers a fascinating story of family secrets vs. personal identity, art vs. money, and conventional success vs. creating a life on one’s own defiant terms. A quintessential New York story, Art Bastard is as energetic, humorous and unapologetically honest as the uncompromising artist at its center. What the film shows, in stunning cinematic detail, are the living, breathing, storytelling canvases that Cenedella has created for six decades. Set to a rollicking soundtrack, the film not only tours Cenedella’s life, it also tours his eye-poppingly intricate, NY-centered paintings as one might travel the city – peering into every corner to uncover Cenedella’s characters, commentary and emotions. The result is a visceral art documentary that also has the sweeping impact of a feature film –at once an investigation of a man’s identity, an inquiry into what art is and who it’s for, and a feisty portrait of the ups and downs of a life lived on one’s own terms."

Executive produced by Chris T. Concannon, the film is directed by Victor Kanefsky. The artist profiled in the film, Robert Cenedella teaches a much sought after class at the famous Art Students League in NYC, where as a student he studied under the late German satirical painter George Grosz who had a huge influence on his life. "Art Bastard" has been on the film festival circuit these last few months (including the Santa Fe Film Festival, Orlando Film Festival, Big Apple Film Festival, etc.) and will be screening at the Newport Beach Film Festival next month. The film recently received the Best Documentary award at the Manchester Film Festival in the UK, and the Best Documentary Film & Best Director awards at the Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema in Idyllwild, CA. Beginning April 1st, select paintings of Cenedella featured in the film, including his famous mural that hangs at NYC’s popular Le Cirque New York restaurant, will be on public display in the café and lobby of the Angelika Film Center in NYC, in celebration of the film and the artist.

Check out the film's official poster below:

Cavu Pictures executives Isil Bagdadi & Michael Sergio negotiated the deal directly with the film’s executive producer Chris T. Concannon of Concannon Productions, the film’s production company. Cavu’s Co-Founder & President of Distribution, Isil Bagdadi said: “'Art Bastard' is incredibly timely, given that once again we are in the season of revolution - which always provides a fertile canvas for a lifetime rebel and artist like Robert Cenedella who after years of being rejected by the art establishment, continues to take great joy in poking holes in their self-righteous balloons with the point of his art.” Cavu’s Co-Founder & CEO, Michael Sergio said: “It’s a thrill to find an incredible doc like Art Bastard that so clearly shows an artist’s struggle played out against the decayed yet colorful backdrop of NYC in the 60’s, 70’s & 80’s.”...

Gotham-based indie film distribution company Cavu Pictures will release the award-winning documentary feature film Art Bastard in theatres nationwide, beginning May 20th, 2016 in NYC at the Angelika Film Center and Lincoln Plaza Cinemas; June 3rd in La at the Laemmle Monica Film Center & Edwards University Town Center 6 in Irvine, CA and June 10th at the Angelika Pop-Up in Washington, D.C. The film will then roll out nationwide throughout the summer.

Art Bastard is the mischievous tale of a rebel who never fit into today’s art world… yet has become one of its most provocative, rabble-rousing characters nevertheless. By turns funny and touching, this portrait of New York painter Robert Cenedella – a contemporary of Andy Warhol who set himself up in the ‘60s as the anti-Warhol – uncovers a fascinating story of family secrets vs. personal identity, art vs. money, and conventional success vs. creating a life on one’s own defiant terms.