The Sleeper

In collaboration with the London Spanish Film Festival and Instituto Cervantes, the National Gallery is delighted to host the UK premiere of 'The Sleeper: El Caravaggio Perdido'.

Facing a move, the Pérez de Castro family puts up for sale at auction a painting that had been in their dining room for decades. The starting price, €1500. When antique dealers see the painting in the catalogue, they recognise it as a possible lost Caravaggio. An arduous and delicate process of restoration, attribution and sale follows. More than a documentary, 'The Sleeper' is a thriller which masterfully sheds light over the obscure intricacies of the antique art market, yet without letting it loose any of its fascinating mystery.

Following the screening the film's Director, Alvaro Longoria will be in conversation with Daniel Ralston, the National Gallery's CEEH Associate Curator of Spanish Paintings and Jorge Coll, CEO, Colnaghi.

dir. Alvaro Longoria, with Jorge Coll, Maria Cristina Terzaghi, Filippo Benappi, Andrea Lullo, Mercedes Méndez Atard, Nicolás Cortés | Spain/Italy | 2025 | 78 min | cert. PG | UK premiere | In Spanish, English and Italian with English subtitles

Álvaro Longoria is an acclaimed Spanish film director and producer, and co-founder of Morena Films. Renowned for his work on socially and politically engaged cinema, he has produced major titles including 'Campeonex' (2023), Spain’s highest-grossing film that year, and 'Champions' (2018), which won the Goya Award for Best Film. His collaborations span international filmmakers such as Asghar Farhadi, Julio Medem, and Steven Soderbergh. As a director, Longoria has earned critical acclaim for documentaries like 'Sons of the Clouds' (2012), winner of the Goya Award, and 'Sanctuary' (2019), highlighting Greenpeace’s environmental efforts. His recent works include 'The Sleeper: The Lost Caravaggio' (2025) and 'The Life of Brianeitor' (2023). Throughout his career, he has received multiple Goya nominations and was honoured with the Green Ray Award in 2024 for his commitment to environmental and social values.

Daniel Sobrino Ralston is the CEEH Associate Curator of Spanish Paintings at the National Gallery. He has published and lectured widely on Spanish art from the 17th and 19th centuries, contributing to After Impressionism: Inventing Modern Art (2023) and Saint Francis of Assisi (2023). Previously, at the Meadows Museum, he curated Sorolla in the Studio (2019), a focused exhibition that explored the painter’s working methods. He received his PhD from Columbia University.

Jorge Coll is the CEO of Colnaghi, one of the world's oldest art galleries. After studying history of art and working in his family's art business, he co-founded the gallery Coll & Cortés in Madrid with Nicolas Cortés in 2005. A London Gallery followed in 2012. In 2015, Coll & Cortés merged with Colnaghi, with Coll becoming the CEO. He has since focused on bringing Old Master pictures back into the spotlight by creating a more modern, accessible approach for the gallery.