imagine...: Season 17, Episode 1

17 - 1: Vincent Van Gogh: Painted with Words

Drama-documentary presented by Alan Yentob, with Benedict Cumberbatch in the lead role as Van Gogh.

Every word spoken by the actors in this film is sourced from the letters that Van Gogh sent to his younger brother Theo, and of those around him. What emerges is a complex portrait of a sophisticated, civilised and yet tormented man.

The film won a Rockie for Best Arts Documentary at the Banff World Media Festival in 2011, receiving critical acclaim for its fascinating insight into the life of the artist and its unique approach to storytelling.