A new documentary titled *The Painted Life of E.J. Hughes*, directed by Vancouver filmmaker Jenn Strom, premieres at the Vancouver International Film Festival. The film explores the personal and professional life of the reclusive Canadian landscape painter E.J. Hughes (1913-2007), known for his dreamlike depictions of British Columbia's coastal life. It features interviews with art historians, curators, and locals, and includes footage of major works, such as *Entrance to Howe Sound* (1949), which is set for auction at Heffel with an estimate of C$1.25m–C$1.75m. The documentary was inspired by books by artist-author Robert Amos and took several years to complete due to the pandemic.
The documentary matters because it arrives amid a resurgence of interest in Hughes, whose market has seen record-breaking sales, including *Fishboats, Rivers Inlet* (1938) selling for over C$2m in 2018. By bringing his work into institutions like the National Gallery of Canada and the Vancouver Art Gallery, the film reinforces Hughes's legacy and introduces his art to a new generation of collectors and admirers. It also highlights the undervalued roles of archivists and knowledge keepers in preserving cultural heritage.