The Painter and the Thief

As an artist I have always known of the many healing powers of art... but this film shows the layers upon layers of healing all while keeping you on the edge of your seat... Absolutely phenomenal.

Really good and beautifully crafted. Almost like a love story

This weekend, thanks to IDA (International Documentary Association), I was given the opportunity to watch Norwegian filmmaker Benjamin Ree's documentary, "The Painter and the Thief." The film follows the 3 year journey of Czech artist living in Norway, Barbora Kysilkova, and her attempt to locate several of her paintings stolen from an art gallery. Barbora connects at the trial with caught ringleader, Karl-Bertil Nordland, a career criminal fighting a heroin addiction and a (possibly)feigned memory loss of the theft, and offers to paint his self-portrait, in hopes this may help her find out the whereabouts of the stolen paintings. What follows this initial meeting between the two is an unexpected friendship and empathetic bond over the next 3 years. Without giving anything away, the documentary's ending is rather extraordinary.

A film so different from anything I have ever seen and one that feels like you're watching a real life friendship develop on screen (which you technically are) and it's marvelous. From tragedy to triumphant moments, The Painter & the Thief is the most unique film you'll see in years. Oh, and that last shot is breathtaking.

10/10.

The Painter and the Thief is about both art and the art of being human. It's a brilliant, beautiful dogma-ish film presented as a documentary.

Just watch it. It's charming and utterly engaging and it doesn't matter whether or not it's a documentary- it just is and that's what matters.