ANGEL APPLICANT
A film by Ken August Meyer
2023, 75 minutes
2023, 75 minutes
No. 463
Documentary
Documentary
Description
Paul Klee, a Swiss-German painter, fled Germany in 1933 when he and other modern artists were vilified by the rising Nazi Party. Isolated in Switzerland, a mysterious disease began wreaking havoc on his body and profoundly changing his artwork.
Narrator/director, Ken August Meyer, explores Klee’s expressive last works after being diagnosed with the same life-threatening disease, systemic scleroderma. Through a curation of Klee’s work, Ken finds powerful messages on coping with his own mortality. Using colorful and whimsical visuals, Angel Applicant echoes the mystique and ironic wit of Klee, demonstrating how creativity can inspire us to overcome personal suffering and make the most of life.
Festivals
Winner, Documentary Feature Jury Award, SXSW
Winner, Audience Award, Best Documentary Feature, Hamptons Intl. Film Festival
Official Selection, HotDocs
Official Selection, Telluride Film Festival
Official Selection, Sydney Film Festival
Reviews
"Ken August Meyer is a remarkable filmmaker whose new documentary Angel Applicant is moving and illuminating...truly a work of art appreciation." - Sightlines Magazine
"A deeply uplifting film that reminds viewers that they are not defined by their ailments, Angel Applicant finds solace in the acceptance that not every mystery of life needs to be solved. In highlighting the power of art by connecting Klee’s works with Meyer’s personal growth, Angel Applicant finds strength in a medium that thrives on being open to interpretation." -POV Magazine
"Angel Applicant is a beautiful piece of cinema. This is a touching, heartfelt documentary about the power of art and its ability to speak to people on a very deep level. There is some very effective and creative storytelling here, and Meyer’s writing and filmmaking style is expressive and elegant." - Screen Zealots
"A Moving Meditation on Finding Solace in Art" - The Hollywood Reporter
