Simon Wallon’s documentary *The Hammer* portrays auctioneer and former Sotheby’s chairman Simon de Pury as an unconventional art-world celebrity, known as the “Mick Jagger of auctions”. Premiering at the Zurich Film Festival, the film explores the contrast between de Pury’s reserved personality and his flamboyant presence at the rostrum, while showing how his expertise and enthusiasm have earned the respect of artists including Jeff Koons and Marina Abramović.

The documentary examines de Pury’s career and landmark sales, including a Moscow auction he describes as a collision between communism and capitalism. Despite decades of experience, he says he suffers intense stage fright before every auction, where a single evening can determine a major institution’s annual revenue or a charity’s budget; he also stresses that auctioneers should develop their own style rather than imitate others. De Pury, who is also a photographer, artist and DJ, says the film reflects the sustaining importance of curiosity, ambition and dreaming.