A new feature-length documentary titled "The Hammer" will premiere at this spring's Cannes Film Market, chronicling the five-decade career of Swiss auctioneer and art advisor Simon de Pury. Produced by Simon Wallon, who previously made a documentary on casting director Bonnie Timmermann, the film features cameos from artists Marina Abramović, Jeff Koons, Ai Weiwei, and Chloe Wise, and includes executive producer Catherine Quantschnigg. Filming took place in New York, Tokyo, London, Cannes, Miami, and Monaco between July 2023 and February 2025.
The documentary matters because it offers an inside look at the mechanics of the art market through the lens of one of its most charismatic figures, de Pury, who helped set auction records for artists like Damien Hirst, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Paul Gauguin. By demystifying the opaque world of high-stakes auctions and celebrity-driven art sales, "The Hammer" could broaden public understanding of how the art market operates, while also highlighting de Pury's unique blend of showmanship and expertise.