If we told you that the Mona Lisa was missing, you probably wouldn’t believe it. But this was the case in 1911 when, for two years, the world’s most famous painting was nowhere to be found! Our guests today, Joe Medeiros and Justine Mestichelli Medeiros are experts on this fascinating story and have produced a documentary called Mona Lisa is Missing, where they take viewers on their journey as they unearth the truth about this great heist. Surprisingly, the story is not that well-documented and, where it has been recorded, the truth is twisted. Joe and Justine came at it from a different angle, wanting to present their findings with accuracy and integrity. In this episode, we hear about this passion project and how reading one line in a book about Leonardo da Vinci and the painting’s theft ignited an insatiable curiosity in Joe to discover the truth. We also learn more about the connections that Joe and Justine made, including with Celestina Peruggia, the thief, Vincenzo Peruggia’s daughter. This film, while entertaining, is about a lot more than that. It is a historical document where this story lives on. Our conversation also touches on what it was like to produce a film independently, the power of connection and fate, and why the film is the gift that keeps on giving. To hear more about this incredible tale, tune in today!

 

Key Points From This Episode:

• How Joe and Justine have been faring during the pandemic and sheltering in place.
• Hear how Joe managed to make the documentary while working as the head writer for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
• The timeline of producing the documentary and what sparked Joe’s fascination with the story.
• Why technology was a large component of making the documentary possible.
• Joe and Justine’s lifelong love of art and music and the way it brought them together.
• Their experience of meeting Celestina Peruggia, Vincenzo Peruggia’s daughter.
• How Joe and Justine created a genuine connection with Celestina.
• Why it was so important for Joe and Justine to produce something based on evidence.
• The twofold reason Joe wanted to make the documentary: Entertainment and education.
• Joe and Justine’s experience with people in Italy and the open way they were received.
• What motivated Joe and Justine to finish the documentary, even when things got tough.
• Why the unpredictability of the story is what makes the documentary so engaging.
• Telling Celestina the truth about her father: Hear what this was like for Joe and Justine.
• The smoking gun: Finding the records that revealed the real story.
• Serendipitous encounters that proved Joe and Justine’s mission to them.
• Some of the unexpected good things that have come from making the documentary.
• The argument that the theft actually turned the Mona Lisa into the famous painting it is.

For more information and photos, visit here: https://notrealart.com/joe-medeiros-justine-mestichelli-medeiros