"Artist lends his life to the film The Portrait

by Barbara Singer.

Excerpt from Beverly Hills Today,

March 19/20/21, 1993.

Los Angeles - The talented artist Gretta Sarfaty considers herself a child of the world, with roots in the past, present, and future, delving deeply into the place where I live and work.

Born Greek and Brazilian by adoption, Gretta has established a respectable place in the world of Brazilian art through her acclaimed portraits of the country's most significant personalities.

By chance, at the opening of her exhibition "Soho Scenes" in New York, Gretta met the director Arthur Penn (director of the film "The Portrait"), who commissioned three paintings for the TNT/Robert Grenwald film "Painting Churches," based on a play. This sentimental film, which was later renamed "The Portrait," brings together the legendary actor Gregory Peck as the executive producer and his longtime friend Lauren Bacall as the parents of a Soho artist, a role played by Cecilia Peck, 31 years old, Peck's real-life daughter.

Gretta's artwork became an integral part of the film written by Lynn Roth, in accordance with the character of Cecilia Peck, who began to mirror the life of that prolific artist. Even her studio was recreated on the filming set in North Carolina. With the artistic talent of Bacall and Peck, combined with Cecilia's performance and highlighted by Gretta's realistic features and paintings, the film "The Portrait" came to life. Gretta served as the art consultant and even appeared in the gallery exhibition scene featuring her work when Cecilia Peck was performing.

It was a fun experience for Gretta and her art to be part of this family drama in cinema, so close to their own lives, working with these great actors. (...)"