ART IN CINEMAS
The Sleeper. El Caravaggio Perdido
Director Álvaro Longoria
The Sleeper. El Caravaggio Perdido
Director Álvaro Longoria
For years the Pérez de Castro family lived with a lost Caravaggio in their living room, not realising that it was worth more than 300 million euros. Appearing in an auction for a mere 1,500 euros, it unleashes a frantic race to get their hands on the work amongst experts, collectors and dealers. This documentary thriller reveals the market secrets of ancient art and shows how a casual discovery can turn a whole sector on its head.
The antique art market is an opaque marketplace in which collectors, speculators, art historians, experts and forgers all come together; where interests play as much a role as all the money at stake.
Through this documentary "thriller," we had the opportunity to immerse ourselves exclusively in this hidden world, being exceptional witnesses to the process of bringing back to light the most mediatic and relevant work of the moment: a sleeper by Caravaggio. A painting that remained lost for decades until the Pérez de Castro family, unaware of its value, put it up for sale at an auction house for 1,500 euros. The appearance of a possible new painting by Caravaggio is an event that transcends the art world.
The story of this Ecce Homo is worthy of a Hollywood movie, a story filled with intrigue and entanglements. It all begins with a family in Madrid who didn't know they had a jewel hanging in their living room that could be worth up to 300 million euros. The action starts when the painting appears in the auction house catalogue and Italian antique dealers and experts recognize it as possibly a lost Caravaggio. A frantic race to acquire the sleeper begins.
Led by art dealer Jorge Coll and his associates, and with exclusive access, our team followed the restoration, attribution and sale of this work of art, which until then had remained in the shadows, over the course of three years. A documentary that opens the doors to the fascinating art market and all of its intricacies.
The antique art market is an opaque marketplace in which collectors, speculators, art historians, experts and forgers all come together; where interests play as much a role as all the money at stake.
Through this documentary "thriller," we had the opportunity to immerse ourselves exclusively in this hidden world, being exceptional witnesses to the process of bringing back to light the most mediatic and relevant work of the moment: a sleeper by Caravaggio. A painting that remained lost for decades until the Pérez de Castro family, unaware of its value, put it up for sale at an auction house for 1,500 euros. The appearance of a possible new painting by Caravaggio is an event that transcends the art world.
The story of this Ecce Homo is worthy of a Hollywood movie, a story filled with intrigue and entanglements. It all begins with a family in Madrid who didn't know they had a jewel hanging in their living room that could be worth up to 300 million euros. The action starts when the painting appears in the auction house catalogue and Italian antique dealers and experts recognize it as possibly a lost Caravaggio. A frantic race to acquire the sleeper begins.
Led by art dealer Jorge Coll and his associates, and with exclusive access, our team followed the restoration, attribution and sale of this work of art, which until then had remained in the shadows, over the course of three years. A documentary that opens the doors to the fascinating art market and all of its intricacies.
Awards
Goya Awards, Nominiee – Best Documentary
2025, Spain, Italy, 76 min.
documentary, art
Language: English, Spanish, Italian
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