Stanley Kubrick. Legendary director. Visionary. Perfectionist. Everyone knows the name behind cinema masterpieces such A Clockwork Orange, The Shining and Full Metal Jacket. But who were the people he worked with who sat alongside the great man and not only kept up with his creative genius, but helped inspire him?

Meet Leon Vitali.

He may not be as famous as Stanley Kubrick, but without him, some of the master’s finest features would never have made it to the big screen and beyond. The remarkable, untold story of Leon Vitali who gave up fame and fortune to serve for decades as Stanley Kubrick’s right-hand man is told in Filmworker, a compelling documentary charting Vitali’s work with the maestro and their unique relationship. The film is set to arrive in UK cinemas on 18 May 2018 from Dogwoof.

It’s a rare person who would give a thriving acting career to toil in obscurity for someone else’s creative vision. Yet, that’s exactly what Leon Vitali did. As a long-time admirer of Stanley Kubrick’s work, it was Vitali’s dream come true when he landed the role of ‘Lord Bullingdon’ in Barry Lyndon. His performance was highly acclaimed and a wealth of prestigious film, television and stage offers flooded on, but they weren’t to be. Having become enthralled by the director’s all-encompassing process of creation, the actor sacrificed his flourishing career to take on the humble role of assistant to the master filmmaker. For more than two decades, he played a crucial role behind-the-scenes helping Kubrick make and maintain his seminal body of work.

In Filmworker, Leon Vitali’s candid, often funny, sometimes shocking experiences in the company of Kubrick are woven together with rich and varied elements including previously unseen photos, videos, letters, notebooks, and memos from Leon’s private collection.

Insightful, emotionally charged anecdotes from renowned actors including Ryan O’Neal, Matthew Modine, R. Lee Ermey, Stellan Skarsgård, Marie Richardson, Danny Lloyd, alongside family, crew members, and key film industry professionals who worked with Kubrick and Vitali, add an important layer of detail and impact to the story. Filmworker enters the world of Leon Vitali and Stanley Kubrick from a unique perspective that highlights the nittygritty of the creative process. By experiencing Leon Vitali’s journey, we come to understand how the mundane gives rise to the magnificent as timeless filmmaking is brought to life at its most practical and profound level.

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