Feature-Length Documentary

www.tamaradoc.com

Phone: 925.202.4890    Email: Julierubiofilm@gmail.com

Her popularity soars today; Madonna and Barbra Streisand are among her most notable collectors, and one of her paintings recently sold at auction for over $21.1 million, the third-highest amount ever paid for a work by a modern female artist. Throughout the film, we delve deeper into insights from our comprehensive interview with Broadway star Eden Espinosa, who was nominated for a Tony Award for her starring role in the Broadway musical "Lempicka". Additionally, in 2024, the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco will present a groundbreaking retrospective exhibition of Tamara de Lempicka at the de Young Museum. As a highlight, our film, "The True Story of Tamara de Lempicka & The Art of Survival," will be featured in an exclusive screening event.

Why did it take so long for the United States to understand what European art collectors, Hollywood elite, and art historians have known all along? The film unravels this mystery and celebrates the triumph of the human spirit through interviews with art historians, independent-minded collectors, curators, and Hollywood and Broadway stars who propelled her auction prices to record highs and recognized her intrinsic value. Tamara painted a legacy of determination, becoming a symbol of strength amidst a chaotic world. Drawing from firsthand accounts, passionate love affairs, and the cultural zeitgeist of the Roaring Twenties, this story is as much about the survival of the spirit as it is about the tempestuous art world.

Tamara broke down barriers and opened up doors for female artists. She led them into a world of creative choice. She put her struggle, turmoil, & truth onto the canvas. There you can see her humanity staring at you, exposing her secrets for all of us to witness. She was a brilliant, brave artist, and the hero of her own story. She was armed with her intellect, a talent, that talent earns her the right to claim her proper place in art history.

About "The true story of tamara de lempicka & The art of survival"

When Rubio set out to make the first feature-length documentary film about the third most valuable female modern artist in the world, she had no idea how relevant and groundbreaking it would be or how it would reshape art history. During the pandemic, Rubio sought to uncover the resting place of Tamara de Lempicka’s grandparents, Bernard and Clementina Deckler, in a Jewish cemetery. Rubio's contact in Poland, Arthur Stepinski, braved harsh -4 °C weather to capture photos of the Deckler family tomb. After several delays, access was granted, revealing the final resting place of Tamara’s grandparents. Arthur Stepinski's tireless dedication in providing documents and photos helped bring these hidden truths to light for the very first time. Clementina, who showered Tamara with love and encouragement, played a crucial role in shaping her ambitions and dreams. Rubio shared these findings with journalist Monika Krajewska, and in return, Krajewska shared Tamara's mother and father's conversion publications. 

It has long been documented that Tamara de Lempicka, originally known as Tamara Rosalia Gurwik-Górska, was born on May 16, 1898. However, a recent document revealed that this was not her true name. Tamara de Lempicka's family shared these new findings with Rubio, which included a certificate revealing her original name as Tamara Rosa Hurwitz and confirming her true birth year as 1894. This new information, regarding Lempicka's birth date and the Hurwitz family's conversion from Judaism to Calvinism, sheds light on her determination and the reasons behind her lack of transparency. Tamara lied in order to survive. These actions, including concealing her Jewish heritage and family’s history of persecution, were essential for her and her family’s survival, rather than deceitful fabrications. Contemporary research often overlooks these significant aspects of Lempicka’s life, diminishing the depth of her resilience and adaptation. 

Reevaluating Lempicka’s narrative with empathy and insight reveals a complex journey of a Jewish survivor. Her artwork, characterized by its bold, stylized Art Deco portrayal of the human form, serves as a vibrant testament to her experiences. Through her paintings, Lempicka not only captured the era’s zeitgeist but also encoded her struggles, resilience, and identity into her paintings. The film highlights that an attack on art and artists is an important - and dangerous - warning sign for other freedoms that we hold so dear. 

This deeper appreciation of Tamara de Lempicka’s experiences, artwork, and legacy highlights her remarkable survival and the profound impact of her story in understanding the resilience of all refugees, and using her pain to create something beautiful.

See article: “Tamara De Lempicka Falsified Her Date of Birth, the Mystery of Her Age Was Revealed Thanks to an Archival Document” Metropolitan Magazine - Here

See article: “Gioia Mori, the Last Mystery of Tamara de Lempicka Falls,” ANSA Magazine - Here 

For more information, see Julie Rubio - Wikipedia: Here