Portrait of a Garden

Portrait of a Garden

Rosie Stapel / 2015 / 98 minutes / The Netherlands

A search for meaning, companionship and the perfect ingredients… In a picturesque garden on a grand country estate, two long-time friends, an 85 year-old pruning master and the gardener, tend to the espaliers. Surrounded by vegetable patches, citrus trees, the orchard and lush grapevines, they talk about food, the weather, their craft (which is quickly disappearing) and the changing world around them. For fifteen years, they’ve been working on the pear arbor. But will it finally come together this year? And what about the harvest, will it be ready for the end-of-season banquet? Capturing one year in the life of this historic garden, the magnificent documentary Portrait of a Garden is a beautiful, transcendent viewing experience.

  • "Remarkably evocative. A zen meditation on time, nature and human activity."

    — Stephen Holden, The New York Times
  • "Sublime... Portrait of a Garden is more than a fine documentary — it's a balm for the soul."

    — Amy Brady, The Village Voice
  • "Visually striking."

    — Simi Horowitz, Film Journal
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