A Sudden Glimpse to Deeper Things

Synopsis

This is the story of a remarkable artist and a magnificent obsession, invoking themes of neurodiversity, feminism and climate change. One day in 1949, a young Scottish painter climbed a Swiss glacier. The experience rewired her brain, and transformed her art. She spent the rest of her life painting it.

Mark Cousins immerses the audience in this life-changing encounter between the glacier and the unusual brain of a 20th century Scottish woman, the artist Wilhelmina Barns-Graham.

Directors' Biography

Northern Irish-Scottish director, critic and writer Mark Cousins is known for his documentaries on cinema and visual culture, which have been screened at Cannes, Venice and Toronto, among others. In 2023, he was honoured for his life's work at the Cairo and Sarajevo film festivals.