Peter Capaldi stars in INSIDE THE MIND OF LEONARDO a feature length exploration of Da Vinci’s private  journals on Sky Arts and Sky 3D

(1x90mins) Sunday 24^th March 9pm on Sky Arts 2 and Sky 3D

www.sky.com/arts

The inspiring world of Leonard da Vinci is brought to life by acclaimed BAFTA winning actor Peter Capaldi in a unique 3D dramatised documentary Inside the Mind of Leonardo. Based on the artist’s private journals dating from the Italian Renaissance, the feature will receive its UK television premiere on Sunday 24^th March at 9pm on Sky Arts 2 HD, Sky 3D and Sky Go.

With over 6,000 pages of handwritten notes and drawings, Leonardo da Vinci’s private journals are the most comprehensive documents that chroniclethe work of the world’s most renowned inventor, philosopher, painter and genius.  Inside the Mind of Leonardo uses this precious collection of writings and drawings to recount DaVinci’s story in his own words, and combines them with stunning visual effects and 3D technology to re-create the mindscape and ideas of mankind’s greatest polymath.

In a powerfully haunting performance, award-winning actor Peter Capaldi portrays Leonardo and dramatically narrates passages and monologues from the artist’s journals. Capaldi captures the passion of Leonardo’s ambition, his opinion of the world and his views on art and life. From the epic to the ordinary, Inside the Mind of Leonardo explores how Leonardo experienced the world around him. Following a biographical narrative, the feature captures the artist’s thwarted ambitions, hurt, anger and sexual desire as documented within his diaries, but also the mundanities of normal life: his shopping lists, health tips and bawdy jokes.

“Leonardo’s journals are an extraordinary body of work, highlighting Da Vinci’s position at the vanguard of ideas, thought and design. It’s wholly fitting therefore, that his works are being brought to life in such a creative way with the use of Sky’s cutting edge 3D technology,” comments James Hunt, Channel Director of Sky Arts. “Sky Arts and Sky 3D customers will be captivated by the stunning visualisations of his work and by Peter Capaldi’s performance which impassions the eclectic and brilliant mind of this 15^th century genius.”

Inside The Mind Of Leonardo marks a further development for Sky Arts which champions innovative and original art documentaries, and which underlines Sky’s promise to deliver high-quality, exclusive content to customers, supported by a commitment to increase investment in home-grown programming to £600 million by 2014.

Proposed Credit Lines:

‘Inside the Mind of Leonardo airs Sunday 24^th March at 9pm, Sky Arts 2 HD and Sky 3D’

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT

Katherine Solomon PR Manager, Sky Press Office

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Dominic Collett Sky Arts Publicist, Sky Press Office

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NOTES TO EDITOR

About Inside The Mind Of Leonardo

Produced by IWC Media/Handel Productions. This 90 minute feature was directed by EMMY and GEMINI nominated Julian Jones and written by BAFTA winner Nick Dear and Julian Jones. Executive producer Peter Lovering and Tamara Kaye (Sky), Commissioning Editor Factual & Features Siobhan Mulholland (Sky)

Stereoscopic Consultancy, Camera teams and VFX supervision provided by Vision3. www.vision3.tv

About Sky Arts

Sky Arts offers an eclectic mix of the best music, arts, biographies, chat shows, film, drama and comedy. Sky is the only broadcaster in the UK and Ireland with channels dedicated solely to the arts, with 48 hours of the best arts content from around the world across Sky Arts 1 and Sky Arts 2 daily. Sky Arts now reaches more than 6 million viewers every month.

Recent highlights include Playhouse Presents… a series of one-off comedies and dramas starring renowned talent including Jon Hamm, Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Thompson, Sir Tom Jones, Brenda Blethyn, David Tennant and Alison Steadman. The channel was also responsible for resurrecting the much-loved South Bank Show and The South Bank Show Awards. Sky Arts also encourages new formats and methods for accessing the arts, working with the ENO and National Gallery to beam the world’s first live opera and first live opening night of an exhibition in 3D to cinemas across the UK and Ireland.

Sky Arts also seeks to connect with culture on the ground; creating and collaborating with the best of the arts in the UK and Ireland to bring new experiences to life. Sky Arts has collaborated with a number of arts organisations including the English National Ballet and has supported the Hay Festival as broadcast partner since 2006. The Sky Arts Ignition Series launched in in 2011 to invest in the arts landscape of the UK. The Series will seek to collaborate with six arts organisations over the next three years in the creation of brand new works; Sky Arts Ignition Series: Futures Fund will support five young artists with a bursary of £30,000 each, enabling Sky Arts to back the creation of new works of art as well as nurture emerging talent.

Follow us on twitter @skyarts. See sky.com/arts

About Sky

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Sky is the UK’s biggest investor in television content, investing more than £2.3 billion a year in channels such as Sky 1, Sky Atlantic, Sky Living, Sky Arts, Sky Sports, Sky Movies and Sky News.   Around two-thirds of Sky’s content spend is invested in the UK and Sky is the fastest-growing source of investment in original British programmes. More than 30 million people watch Sky content each week.

Alongside its commitment to offering customers a greater choice of high-quality content, Sky is a leading innovator. Customers enjoy total control and flexibility over their favourite TV through Sky+, watch TV on the move through Sky Go, and enjoy the best quality TV experience at home through High Definition and 3D.   

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Sky believes in making a wider contribution to the communities in which it operates by taking positive action on the environment, supporting grassroots sports and increasing access to, and participation in, the arts. Sky employs 23,000 people, has annual revenues of £6.8 billion and is estimated to support a £5.4 billion contribution to UK GDP. Sky is listed on the London Stock Exchange (BSY). www.sky.com/corporate