Past meets present in a documentary that offers a new and articulate perspective on the artists who became the Group of Seven. Painted Land weaves together seamlessly the experiences of the renowned artists – Lawren Harris, J.E.H. MacDonald, A.Y. Jackson, Frank Johnston, Arthur Lismer, Franklin Carmichael and A.J. Casson – with the adventures of three modern day sleuths.
Historian Michael Burtch, and the writer and photographer team of Gary and Joanie McGuffin are determined to track down the precise locations of the iconic and famous paintings. Archival film, letters, journals and photographs of the artists – some of which have never been seen in public – take the viewers back in time on a delightfully engaging treasure hunt up mountains, down canyons and over portages, in search of the artworks’ stories.