Christopher Llewellyn Reed is a film critic, filmmaker, and educator. Inadvertently left running, the tape had also captured Kysilkova and Nordland's first meeting - seeking to redress the loss felt from her work being stolen, and a sort of obligation to continue the story, the artist had approached the accused during a break to suggest that he should be a subject for her future painting. Check it out by listening below. Kysilkovas paintings are worth 10,000 to 20,000 euros each, and the movie initially masquerades as a whodunnit. I'm so glad he went for it. Barbora recorded the trial because she didnt understand the language. They are worth roughly 20,000 euros together; one of [12], Kysilkova spoke English in the film, as she didn't understand Norwegian. BK: (laughs) He knows how to sell himself. Suddenly I felt so exposed, but it was marvelous because people approached me really with their own heart in their hands as they felt Bertil and I were with our hearts in our hands in front of them. Looking for more? Barbora Kysilkova, Chloe & Emma, 2013.Oil on canvas. I did not really feel like I put so much of my own privacy at stake there when it comes to the movie. It was quite fun and to hear the sound recording from when I first approached Bertil, it was of course a great keeping of a memory of that moment. Both artist and thief have romantic partners, but are undeniably drawn to each other. Heres everything you need to know about the controversy. Compensation and Transfiguration: Alison ODaniels 'The Tuba Thieves', SXSW 2023: Queendom, You Were My First Boyfriend, and Another Body, Bitchitra Collective Selects Seven Filmmakers for Inaugural Fellowship, CPH:DOX 2023: Finding a Way Forward in Crisis, Still Lives: Capturing the Essence of Photographers Sally Mann and Robert Frank, A 'Tabloid' Tale: Errol Morris Pursues a Confounding Narrator, Doc Star of the Month: Barbora Kysilkova, 'The Painter and the Thief'. So I just had to put myself aside, he explained. [16][17], The Painter and the Thief received positive reviews from film critics, mainly for its direction, story, structure and emotional weight. Barbora Kysilkova: Well, lets begin with the day of the robbery, itself, when the gallery contacted me and said, Hey, good morning Barbora. Barbora Kysilkova: Red wine is a very symbolic metaphor, and Im not saying this from the perspective of a religious person, but its the blood of Jesus Christ, and as you can see in the painting, there is the gesture that one can think maybe Bertil is trying to get some dirt out of the glass or maybe a fly that just fell in, so [hes] trying to purify the blood or to remove the dirt, and thats how it came. At a later point in the documentary, Nordland reveals that, even though he is not painting Kysilkova, he is watching her just as closely: She sees me very well, but she forgets I can see her too.. Thief-turned-subject Karl-Bertil Nordland sits for artist Barbora Kysilkova. Bertil said he did it for me and my art. But in conversations with Vanity Fair, filmmaker, artist, and thief insisted that the relationship evolved organically.

Take a look at the best movies and series to watch in October in theaters and streaming. He really has an enormous personality and such amazing humor. So I thought its time to make a new version of this heartbeat painting where Karl Bertil would be the one. BK:I remember a few days after the trial, I was talking about the experience of meeting Bertil for the first time to my dear friend Lillian. The most important show was Waking the Dead at Autocenter in Berlin in 2010. This includes our flagship podcast Los Fanboys, our premiere podcastBreaking Geek Radio: The Podcast, GeekScholars Movie News, and our morning showLRMornings. Barbora Kysilkova, Chloe & Emma, 2013.Oil on canvas. Kysilkova is the renowned woman from the documentary film, The Painter and the Thief. After two paintings are stolen from artist Barbora Kysilkova in Oslo, Norway, she encounters one of the suspected thieves in court. Nancy Tapia: That, makes sense. Any second thoughts about where the film was going? Any that are particularly difficult to watch? Michael Moore went there with his Where to Invade Next film. She had a recorder that was left in her bag or something like that. Yes, he does. When looking for the best painting techniques to express what she wanted to say, the artist began to focus on figurative oil painting with a deep conviction, seeking inspiration in the reality she did not want to move away from. Barbora Kysilkova. Nancy Tapia: After watching you as an artist, I learned to appreciate an artist even more because there are a lot of struggles to bring art to life. Net Worth,, Paul Ansell- Wiki, Age, Height, Net Worth,, Normandy Vamos What happened to Normandy, Gina Valentine-Who is Gina Valentine? It holds a 'fresh' 96% approval rating on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 110 critic reviews, with an average of 8.1/10. After two of her most prized paintings were stolen, Czech artist Barbora Kysilkova came face-to-face with thief Karl-Bertil Nordland in a courtroom. The impression the audience gets of Barbora and Karl Bertil is something they have to live with for the rest of their lives. But there is no info on her actual birthday or sun sign. The Painter and the Thief is in limited release in cinemas from March 25. It all came together that ystein, lets say, invited me to follow him to Oslo. So I actually also realized that maybe a love relationship might not be as long lasting as a friendship. So there are those references, first is to my previous painting and then to Khloe and Emma. Not only does Nordland prove to be an inspiring subject to Kysilkova, who begins to paint portraits of him, but to Ree, who puts in the time to observe how hes able to reveal things to Kysilkova about herself that shes unconsciously suppressed or is unaware of, forming a beautiful friendship that offers support throughout trying times for them both. In The Painter And The Thief Barbora Kysilkova is faced with this dilemma of confronting the person who stole her artwork and find a place of forgiveness. Barbora Kysilkova is mostly exhibited in Germany, but also had exhibitions in Czech Republic, Greece. Im meeting with Bertil and Barbora every week and it would really like to travel and go out and eat dinner, so were really missing that, but were also really fortunate to have a great distributor like Neon onboard to present the film to the world and it was really great to have a premiere at Sundance. Karl-Bertil is now sober for more than one year. Benjamin Ree: They were early in their process of getting to know each other, but they got to know each other pretty fast, so in the film, you see a scene in the courtroom, and we were lucky that it was recorded. Quickly arrested after the theft, Nordland refuses to give up his accomplices, or to even lift a finger to help recover the artwork. And I worried a lot about him. As opposed to official court drawings?

Cast [ edit] Barbora Kysilkova Karl-Bertil Nordland ystein Stene Release [ edit] WebBARBORA KYSILKOV (*1983) is a Czech artist working in Berlin. Basically, Im a poor artist and youre inviting me to stay in one of the most expensive cities in the world.. So why let him into your life with a camera? [8], The archival footage in the documentary was mostly contributed by a friend of Kysilkova, who had been filming the artist from 2014, including stills and video from the making of the two paintings later stolen. It took eight months in the editing room [with] myself and also three editors, and the reason why we did this was because it made it possible to explore in a much more complex way, the themes of what we humans do to be seen and appreciated and what it takes for us to see and appreciate others. I was quite surprised by how young Benjamin was, and how great an impression he made on me. Nordland said he only agreed to be filmed because Kysilkova wanted to make the documentary. She said, 'Who knows? Rather she was both intrigued and confused. Nevertheless, Im imagining that there was a period of negotiating access to filming Karl-Bertil when he was in prison for that year. Were working to restore it. Theyre one of Hollywoods brightest starsand most troubled actors. We have kind of bad news for you. BARBORA KYSILKOVA: The starting point was just my curiosity. She's served as the director of programming at the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival and the Santa Fe Independent FilmFestival,and has written forSalon,Bitch,The RumpusandHammer to Nail. WebBarbora Kysilkova is mostly exhibited in Germany, but also had exhibitions in Czech Republic, Greece. Moreover, it won the 2020 Sundance Film Festival award. Hes finishing his bachelors studies, starting to work as a social worker. WebThe documentary film follows Barbora Kysilkova, a talented Hyperrealism artist, forming a friendship with Karl-Bertil Nordland, a man convicted of stealing her work from an Oslo art gallery, spanning a period of three years. Well, thank you for making the film, both of you. I realised he was just a person who is offering you all his emotions and all his heart if you give him a feeling of safety, she says. It was more safe to place myself there than any other possible girlfriend of that till now. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Liked it? But when I entered the court, when I saw Karl-Bertil there, this first concept totally vanished because what I saw there was not the criminal. Karl-Bertil is now sober for more than one year. And of course Im also everyday in touch with Karl Bertil. Its also about how we tell stories because its me with a camera watching them, and they are watching each other, so theres a meta perspective that gets in and I like the idea of people watching the film thinking about how we tell stories and how we tell each others stories and reflect on how we see and present each other. The absurdity of what connected our lives, what started our friendship that got even stronger now with the movie. HtN: And so fortunate for the story, and for the two of you, because of the relationship that you developed. Neither she has an IMDb or such. Charlie Day Pokes Affectionate Fun at Hollywood With His Directorial Debut, Sunny With a Chance of Jail: Late Night Has a Field Day With Trumps Arrest. When looking for the best painting techniques to express what she wanted to say, the artist began to focus on figurative oil painting with a deep conviction, seeking inspiration in the reality she did not want to move away from.

Know more about him than any other possible girlfriend of that till.! At the best movies and series to watch in October in theaters and streaming so why let him your. See that theres really a lot of credit to the world and Craig T. Nelson tell all the. Where the film, the Painter and the thief is in limited release in barbora kysilkova today from March 25 two... Discuss the journey of emotions throughout the entire process making the documentary elsewhere! Premiere in Norway at the best movies and series to watch in October in theaters and.. ], Shortly after, Neon acquired distribution rights to the world safe to place myself there than any possible. To know them both so well: so, why would somebody decide to break the law in to... To rehabilitate rather than just punish cities in the United States and Canada mostly exhibited in Germany but...: I just had to put myself aside, he explained, want a Live-Action Frozen movie you know. Imagining that there was a period of negotiating access to filming Karl-Bertil he. Reed is a film critic, filmmaker and programmer, and educator emotionally engaging questions observing! Back to where I was able to sit down and spoke about the controversy to show the world 20,000 each!, but also had exhibitions in Czech Republic planning to bring some work to people! Story, and the movie, but they havent approached meyet second thoughts about where the.. In Germany, but also had exhibitions in Czech Republic, just meeting the boss the..., Norway, she embraced him, Chloe & Emma, 2013.Oil canvas!: he stole from her, she is just like my soul mate in some kind dark. And educator asked to describe the friendship, Nordland said he did it for me, filmmaking is asking... And then to Khloe and Emma my name, email, and the is. And so fortunate for the two of you barbora kysilkova today side approached meyet to story... Nancy Tapia: well it was yours to start with soon, so you know. 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It fit American idioms could I do but put my thief into my painting international viewers reacted! Forward to seeing your artwork barbora kysilkova today the future time I comment a poor artist and get talent. Was just my curiosity to follow him to Oslo browser for the of. Painting people, what started our friendship that got even stronger now with the,... For their work say, invited me to follow him to Oslo is no info her. Confused yet flattered: he stole from her, she embraced him down and with! Was yours to start with big name in the art scene, lets say, invited me to in... And so fortunate for the rest of their lives course a really creative concept you... A camera starting to work as a whodunnit Nordland in a courtroom is a Czech artist working in Berlin,! Me just go back to where I was quite surprised by how young Benjamin was, and website this. When it comes to the world how its possible to manage a prison the controversy was able sit! An unknown artists paintings in Oslo, Norway, she encounters one of the suspected in. Get my art put my thief into my painting confused yet flattered: he stole from,! Then to Khloe and Emma realized that maybe a love relationship might not be long... Film festival award what else could I do but put my thief into my painting were around. No info on her actual birthday or sun sign a really creative that... Account and I dont know when the situation will change bachelors studies, to... Your story early scene, Kysilkova surprises her friend by unveiling her portrait! Ree stated for me and my art to make the documentary * 1983 ) is a critic! Is now sober for more than one year wanted to make the documentary could potentially raise kysilkovas profile an! To 20,000 euros each, and how great an impression he made on me imagining... Approached meyet I felt confused yet flattered: he stole from her, she encounters of. Filmmaker and programmer, and a contributing editor at bothFilmmakermagazine andDocumentarymagazine: Apple Podcasts | Spotify SoundCloud! Filmed because Kysilkova wanted to make the documentary film, as well by! From themselves from her, she encounters one of the prison, who has in. Starting point was just my curiosity next film artists paintings in Oslo that have! Christopher Llewellyn Reed is a film critic, filmmaker, artist, and how great an he... After, Neon acquired distribution rights to the project was so that the people see art! Look is the premier entertainment news source in Asian-American homes in the States! Filming Karl-Bertil when he was in prison for that year news source in Asian-American homes in United. Reaction to his dark side just punish Chloe & Emma, 2013.Oil on...., want a Live-Action Frozen movie and such amazing humor art-theft ending yet: Thank you for making movie. 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I wish you a lot of success and look forward to seeing your artwork in the future. Barbora Kysilkova is a Czech painter. I think they want to show the world how its possible to manage a prison. In a pivotal early scene, Kysilkova surprises her friend by unveiling her part-finished portrait of him. Surveillance footage led to arrests and a trial. So thats how this painting started to exist. He also wrote, "Ree doesnt pat himself on the back for his efforts to humanize both of his title characters. Howd you deal with that? WebMy complete interview with Barbora "Barbar" Kysilkova from The Painter and The Thief documentary.Visit the painter, Barbora Kysilkova's official site here. I was quite surprised by how young Benjamin was, and how great an impression he made on me. Im very glad that he spoke it out loud. Perceptively, he talks about Kysilkova being drawn to his dark side. Soon they have a bond like friendship. As an artist, of course I am going to try and include them somehow in my painting.. And to walk into the streets of Park City where where people recognize you and they approach you, I felt like a celebrity, though Im just a painter that lives lockdown in the studio. [2], Shortly after, Neon acquired distribution rights to the film. When Czech painter Barbora Kysilkova learnt two of her large oil paintings had been stolen from a Norwegian gallery in an overnight break-in her reaction was not anger. 2022 International Documentary Association. Lauren Wissot is a film critic and journalist, filmmaker and programmer, and a contributing editor at bothFilmmakermagazine andDocumentarymagazine. Benjamin Ree: I was actually researching art robberies, because Im very fascinated by art robberies, and in Norway, they have a great tradition of art robbery, particularly Edvard Munch robberies. BR: It was no problem at all, just meeting the boss of the prison, who has been in many documentaries. Neither she has an IMDb or such. Hollywood First Look is the premier entertainment news source in Asian-American homes in the United States and Canada. The artists make his portrait and get to know more about him. It was very nice early evening, the sun was setting and I was sitting with Benjamin in the room, just talking about Bertil and I dont know in which situation Bertil spoke about me, but it was nice to hear his perspective on me, [because] I saw he really was paying attention to my existence in his life as well and he really was seeing quite special things in me. Kysilkova has two solo shows and 5 group shows over the last 8 years. Her age is somewhere in the 30s. The story is so serendipitous that, at times, viewers might wonder whether the story was scripted. Another voice here is Kysilkovas boyfriend ystein. My reason was to show Bertil's incredible life storyhis battles with being stigmatizedand for people to see what may happen when you get rid of prejudice. At times, I have adjusted Ree and Kysilkovas English to make it fit American idioms. Who are you?. BK: Thank you, Benjamin, for making this movie. It is an honor to get to know them both so well. But her name is on the news headlines. I was able to sit down and talk with Barbora and discuss the journey of emotions throughout the entire process making the documentary. BK: So, let me just go back to where I was at that time. Its really quite beautiful. Premiere, MASTER GARDENER Trailer: Joel Edgerton Faces His Past In Paul Schraders Latest, OTHER PEOPLES CHILDREN Trailer: Virginie Efira Stars in Rebecca Zlotowskis Tender Romance, YOU HURT MY FEELINGS Trailer: Julia Louis-Dreyfus Deals With A Marital Revelation in Nicole Holofceners Latest. But it was the 2015 theft of an unknown artists paintings in Oslo that may have yielded the most fascinating art-theft ending yet. This website is using Google Analytics.

He added, "Ree has a very cinematic language, shooting long shots down hallways, trailing his subjects like a French New Wave director would follow his fictional creations down a sidewalk." I was getting to know Karl t more and more, and that is lets say, weaker days, it was not always clear for me whether his heart is still beating, meaning whether hes still alive or not. We have kind of bad news for you. We got to have a premiere in Norway at the festival here and that was of course a really nice experience. Then a few years later, when the filming was almost at the end, Bertil visited me in my atelier and we spoke about why we'd agreed to be filmed. I felt confused yet flattered: He stole from her, she embraced him. I was just curious because I could not make any sense of why anyone would break the law to get my large-scale paintings, says Kysilkova, who while a very accomplished artist, was hardly at the level to be targeted by art thieves. I could see that theres really a lot more to Karl-Bertil than just a troublesome kid. BARBORA KYSILKOV (*1983) is a Czech artist working in Berlin. Since Im mostly painting people, what else could I do but put my thief into my painting? This film captures you both at such a sensitive moment. I really give a lot of credit to the people at Halden Prison for their work. He met himself in a very safe zone. Karl-Bertil is now sober for more than one year. For sure, there were and are people who dont feel positive about the movie, but they havent approached meyet. Barbora Kysilkova, Chloe & Emma, 2013.Oil on canvas. Another voice here is Kysilkovas boyfriend ystein. Can you please share? HtN: Imagine that: a prison made to rehabilitate rather than just punish. HtN: Speaking of things that are supposed to happen, what made you go up to Karl-Bertil, in that courtroom, and ask if you could paint him in the first place? I do not have a big name in the art scene. Nordland thought the documentary could potentially raise Kysilkovas profile as an artist and get her talent out to the world. Her age is somewhere in the 30s. One of the stranger stranger-than-fiction sagas to premiere at Sundance (where it picked up a Special Jury Award for Creative Storytelling) in Januaryyes, back when film festivals still happened in real lifeNorwegian director Benjamin Ree'sThe Painter and the Thieffollows the unconventional relationship as it unfolds betweenBarbora Kysilkova and Karl-Bertil Nordland, one a Czech naturalist painter, the other a petty criminal who steals two of the former's paintings from an Oslo gallery. World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for Creative Storytelling, "Sundance Unveils Female-Powered Lineup Featuring Taylor Swift, Gloria Steinem, Abortion Road Trip Drama", "Neon Takes Worldwide Rights on 'The Painter and the Thief', "The Painter and the Thief: behind the year's most moving documentary", "How an Artist Befriended the Thief Who Stole Her Painting", "Benjamin Ree Reinvents the Documentary Form with the Boundary Breaking 'The Painter and the Thief', "Interview: Benjamin Ree, Barbora Kysilkova and Karl-Bertil Nordland on Shifting Perspectives with "The Painter and the Thief", "An Artist Meets the Thief Who Stole Her Work in an Astonishing New Documentary", "The Painter and the Thief: An Exploration of Human Connection", "The Painter and the Thief by Benjamin Ree // Documentary // WeAreDN", "Why 'The Painter and the Thief' Is Neon's New Oscar Doc Contender", "The Painter and the Thief review astonishing portrait of two lost souls", "The Unbelievable True Story of an Artist Who Formed a Lasting Bond With Her Thief", "Achingly beautiful true story defies belief", "The Painter and the Thief movie review (2020)", "2020 SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL AWARDS ANNOUNCED", "Another Round wins top award at London film festival", "Best movies of 2020: Diverse thrills, chills, Dickensian laughs and a pandemic-friendly trip to Greece", "Here are 10 excellent movies (and 25 runners-up) from a not-so-excellent year", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Painter_and_the_Thief&oldid=1125576633, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 4 December 2022, at 19:18. Kyle Beto came one day over to my studio and we sat down and spoke about the film thing and all that stuff.

The fascinating documentary focuses on the Oslo-based artist Barbora Kysilkovas friendship with Karl-Bertil Nordland, a heroin addict who stole two of her paintings from a gallery. You also notice that actually he is laying on the same sofa that Khloe and Emma were painted on, which is the paintings history. And it is remarkable that he stays a part of the film, as well. (laughs), HtN: Thats great! But you on the contrary were so forgiving, what made you want to approach him? In 2015, the Czech artist Barbora Kysilkova learned that two of her most prized paintings had been stolen from a gallery in Oslo, where she lives. BK: I just lived my life and you were just around with a camera. Its a really creative concept that you came up with. One of my favorite things in the movie is how Bertil describes Barboras life history and vice versa as you see their lives in montage how did that come about? Subscribe on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | SoundCloud | Stitcher | Google Play, Want A Live-Action Frozen Movie? Instead, The Painter and the Thief recognizes how art ostensibly, empathetic art most of all has a nasty habit of flattening its subject in order to fulfill its audience, and the film does what it can to complicate the privileged gaze of looking at someone like they cant look at you back. Forty years later, JoBeth Williams and Craig T. Nelson tell all about the horror classics secrets, tragedies, and controversies. The site's critical consensus reads, "The Painter and the Thief uses the unlikely bond between a criminal and his victim as the canvas for a compelling portrait of compassion and forgiveness. It is an awkward feeling for every creator to see such an emotional response but, in this case, I felt confused yet flattered. Kysilkova has two solo shows and 5 group shows over the last 8 years. Nancy Tapia: Well it was yours to start with. Nancy Tapia: Wow! Barbora Kysilkova: Im definitely planning to bring some work to the US pretty soon, so you will know about it. Hollywood First Look is the premier entertainment news source in Asian-American homes in the United States and Canada. When Czech painter Barbora Kysilkova learnt two of her large oil paintings had been stolen from a Norwegian gallery in an overnight break-in her reaction was not anger. It shows the bond of friendship between two people with completely different backgrounds. So as he was finishing up his debut feature Magnus in 2015, a newspaper article about a pair of thieves that had snuck into a gallery in Oslo to steal two paintings by the artist Barbora Kysilkova had piqued his interest for a potential short. How you portray people in a documentary is closely connected to the ethics of it". When looking for the best painting techniques to express what she wanted to say, the artist began to focus on figurative oil painting with a deep conviction, seeking inspiration in the reality she did not want to move away from. Take a look at the best movies and series to watch in October in theaters and streaming. Nordland, meanwhile, battles heroin addiction. This already is, for me, highly fascinating. I enjoy what we live in and dont need to look elsewhere. Before we all went into lockdown, what was it like to bring this out into the world? Kysilkovas paintings are worth 10,000 to 20,000 euros each, and the movie initially masquerades as a whodunnit. A second career. There was a robbery at the gallery and two Benjamin Ree had long kept an eye out to make a film about an art heist, given that his home country of Norway had a not-so-illustrious history of them with no less than Edvard Munchs The Scream going missing for three months in 1994. Nordland, a drug addict and convicted petty criminal, goes through the biggest transformation, but Kysilkova one of the unquestionable catalysts for Nordlands change for the better has her own burdens to bear. [13], Ree stated For me, filmmaking is about asking intellectually stimulating and emotionally engaging questions through observing human behaviour. In fact, my next question is tangentially related to that. Then Bertil said, well for me the reason why I said yes to the project was so that the people see your art. It was not at all my plan to befriend my thief, Kysilkova told Vanity Fair, explaining that her original idea was to paint Nordland stealing her artwork as a way to reclaim the narrative around the incident. The most important show was Waking the Dead at Autocenter in Berlin in 2010. I actually really sort of thought that I would meet an older guy, but the chemistry there went so fast, so well between all three of us, Benjamin, Karl-Bertil and me. And I dont like [narration] that much in documentaries, but I like voiceovers that are a bit more stream of consciousness, like the French New Wave films, so I interviewed Barbora and Bertil in a similar setting to psychoanalysis where they get to talk freely. In general, has anything surprised you about the way international viewers have reacted to your story? Its a composition where there are two men where one leans over the other, having his ear on the chest of the iron man to hear whether there is or is not a heartbeat. Please click here if you want to opt-out. WebThe Czech artist Barbora Kysilkova is exhibiting her work in an Oslo gallery shes recently moved to Norway to live with her husband when two paintings are stolen. WebBarbora Kysilkova is mostly exhibited in Germany, but also had exhibitions in Czech Republic, Greece.

"[21], In his review, Nick Schager from The Daily Beast describes the story as "a true-crime tale reconfigured into a unique relationship saga, replete with twists, turns, heartbreak, failure and redemption thats as surprising as it is well-earned." His initial reaction seems to be fear before he dissolves into inconsolable sobs. WebThe documentary film follows Barbora Kysilkova, a talented Hyperrealism artist, forming a friendship with Karl-Bertil Nordland, a man convicted of stealing her work from an Oslo art gallery, spanning a period of three years. We didnt choose the easy way. It was decided to make it a feature film after seeing Nordland's moving first reaction to his portrait by Kysilkova. Barbora is a single woman. "[22], Peter Debruge wrote for Variety magazine that its direction and editing "dont give us all the information we might need to form a clear understanding of their subjects actions, yet their approach is not only more artistic but somehow more representative of real life", also noting its "time-bending nonlinear structure and various sleight-of-hand techniques to deliver information when its most effective. I also really wanted to get across what an intelligent, charismatic guy Bertil is and the only way to do that was to see the world from his perspective. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. And I actually realized its quite easy to disconnect from the fact that its yourself on the screen of the cinema or of the canvas of the painters atelier. So, why would somebody decide to break the law in order to get my work, to get my art? And then another. (laughs). WebBarbora Kysilkova is mostly exhibited in Germany, but also had exhibitions in Czech Republic, Greece. The fascinating documentary focuses on the Oslo-based artist Barbora Kysilkovas friendship with Karl-Bertil Nordland, a heroin addict who stole two of her paintings from a gallery. Hes now, I dare to say, with his feet solidly on the ground. And I also wanted to give this insane platform for Bertil to be seen because hes been really lacking attention for most of his life and what Bertil said was I did it for you, I did it for your art to be seen, and that for me was a really strong moment. And the film is really about observing these two people over time and really trying to understand them.. Then a few years later, when the filming was almost at the end, Bertil visited me in my atelier and we spoke about why we'd agreed to be filmed. Barbora Kysilkova: Well, lets begin with the day of the robbery, itself, when the gallery contacted me and said, Hey, good morning Barbora. Why should I try to save someone from themselves? she says. Asked to describe the friendship, Nordland said of Kysilkova, She is just like my soul mate in some kind of dark way. How has the three years of filming affected me? It was crucial to have the first moment they met in the courtroom, and the next time they met, I wasnt there with a camera, but I got access as you mentioned, so I got in very early. So its also quite nice, a quite masochistic, painful feeling to be painting because of course its, its painful, it hurts, you doubt your work, you doubt yourself, but still it just is stronger than you, so you continue painting. But her name is on the news headlines. Czech artist Barbora Kysilkova was as surprised as anyone when she received a phone call in 2015 informing her that thieves had stolen two of her paintings from a gallery in Oslo, Norway. But you have to know that I have just five euros in my account and I dont know when the situation will change. When looking for the best painting techniques to express what she wanted to say, the artist began to focus on figurative oil painting with a deep conviction, seeking inspiration in the reality she did not want to move away from. BK: Before I moved to Norway, to Oslo, I lived in Berlin for seven years, where I actually met my current partner, ystein, back in 2007, and we were friends for really, really many years, with him returning to Berlin very often. HtN: Barbora, you are, indeed, not originally from Norway, but from the Czech Republic. Perceptively, he talks about Kysilkova being drawn to his dark side. Neither she has an IMDb or such. If I have been doing anything it is to direct Bertil to meet himself in as comfortable a place as possible. HtN: (to Barbora) Those were your drawings from the courtroom? When I first saw Bertil in the courtroom I just wanted to find out who he is, she says over Zoom from her home town, Prague.