One of the great controversial artists of the past is investigated in a beautifully composed film by co-directors Paulo MilHomens and Hugo Vieira da Silva.

Based on his real-life writings, Off The Beaten Track follows Victor Segalen (Antoine de Foucauld), a doctor and poet who leaves France and heads for Hiva Oa – an island in French Polynesia that is home to painter Paul Gauguin – in the hopes of meeting him and collecting personal items for auction. Upon arrival, he learns that the artist has died. Exploring his former haunts, Victor pieces together a picture of the man he admires, by speaking to former friends and reading his personal writing. Through this, he learns the complicated legacy of a notorious life.

Some background knowledge is required to understand the nature of the path taken in this tale that sits somewhere between detective story and artistic assessment. More than a century after his death in 1903, Gauguin remains a divisive figure within the art world, with discussions still raging over whether his work should be displayed given his association with colonialism, and his marriages to young girls.

With this hindsight in mind, it’s intriguing to watch Foucauld’s earnest doctor look for clues to the man behind the beauty, without the benefit of modern evaluation. Contrasting the rumours and anecdotes with the work he picks up during his quest, a thoughtful exploration emerges that feels relevant to how we think about art. Can you appreciate the beauty of a painting if the man holding the brush was a monster? There are no easy answers here, and instead the film seeks to present the complexity of human nature.

Part of that comes through its depiction of colonialists, all of whom welcome Victor with open arms and official garb. However, that veil of civility drops when they discuss the island’s natives, calling them subhuman and describing Gauguin’s connection to them as a personal flaw in itself. It’s a reminder that, just as an artist held in high esteem can be a problematic figure, so too can the so-called upper classes be as savage as the colonial stereotypes they create.

Brimming with innocence, Foucauld is a fine guide for the audience. Never openly judging Gauguin or those he meets along the way, he delivers the curiosity required to make this kind of exploration plausible. A sensory delight, Off The Beaten Track takes its time with its investigative journey, but on the way explores our relationship with our idols, as well as how different portraits of a man emerge from those who knew him.

Off the Beaten Track streams for free during the entire month of December as part of ArteKino – just click here now for more information.