Douglas Gordon by Douglas Gordon

When celebrated artist Douglas Gordon opens his Berlin studio to filmmaker Finlay Pretsell, the question becomes: who's really directing whom - revealing the cost of artistic obsession.

Year: 2026 

Director: Finlay Pretsell 

Producers: Sonja Henrici, Finlay Pretsell 

Co-Producer: Estelle Robin You 

Production Companies: Parcel of Rogues Ltd, Sonja Henrici Creates, Grande Ourse Films 

Screen Scotland support: The film accessed £75,000 through Screen Scotland’s Film Development and Production Fund.


Synopsis

Douglas Gordon by Douglas Gordon

is an unflinchingly raw and intimate portrait of the celebrated boundary pushing artist which blurs the border between reality and performance.

Raised in Glasgow, Scotland during the Margaret Thatcher era, Gordon is among the most important and influential artists of his generation. Best known for his films and large-scale video installations such as “24 Hour Psycho” and the 2006 Cannes masterpiece “Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait”.

Gordon reveals his soul and innermost thoughts whilst making new work and reflecting on his advancing years through spontaneous acts and conversation. As the filmmaker-subject relationship shifts from collaborative intimacy to a more complex dynamic we wonder, who is actually making this film? 

Through this multifaceted portrait, we witness how Gordon has sacrificed everything for his art.


More information

Premiere: The film will have its World Premiere at Berlinale 2026.

Image credits: Image courtesy Parcel of Rogues