The Painter and the Thief

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The Painter and the Thief

Released May 22, 2020

1h 42m

Documentary

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97%

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112 Reviews

85%

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100+ Ratings

Czech artist Barbora Kysilkova develops an unlikely friendship with the man who stole two of her paintings.

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Critics Consensus

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.

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David Stratton

The Australian

If this were a fiction film it would surely be dismissed as totally unbelievable; since it's not, this portrait of two totally fascinating characters proves to be as riveting as any thriller.

Rated: 4/5

Apr 3, 2021

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Paul Byrnes

Sydney Morning Herald

The Painter and the Thief is a superb Norwegian documentary about a painter who befriended the criminal who stole two of her paintings. He then became her muse.

Rated: 4/5

Mar 25, 2021

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Nick Schager

The Daily Beast

A true-crime tale reconfigured into a unique relationship saga, replete with twists, turns, heartbreak, failure and redemption that's as surprising as it is well-earned.

Feb 2, 2021

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Michael Carvelli

Loud and Clear Reviews

It’s a really interesting telling of this story that shows the way people can find inspiration in odd places, with an ending that leaves behind some intriguing questions about the type of relationship they have.

Rated: 3.5/5

Jan 11, 2025

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Kat Halstead

Common Sense Media

The Painter and the Thief is a rare example of real-life experience with all the ups and downs, emotional highs and lows, and unexpected plot twists of the most manipulative of fictional narratives.

Rated: 5/5

Sep 25, 2023

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M.N. Miller

Ready Steady Cut

The Painter and the Thief captures moments of love, redemption, hope, and ultimately, the exultant power of forgiveness.

Rated: 4/5

Sep 1, 2022

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jacquesleslie

A remarkable documentary that goes deep. The main characters reveal themselves with astonishing clarity and honesty. And beautiful art besides.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/15/24

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hardy c

Interesting film but as flawed as the two central people in it. Indeed, I came away thinking that the recovering junkie/ex-thief wasn't nearly as messed up as the artist whose work he stole. The really interesting aspect that was scarcely touched on was the relationship Barbora had with her real life boyfriend, who rightly began suspecting more than a compassionate connection with the thief. The documentary did not need to be two plus hours long for us to understand that she was filling a need she wasn't getting otherwise, and I do not mean a sexual one.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/14/24

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clay w

Brilliant and beautiful rumination on the power of art and redemption. So many scenes in this film are so personal and confessional I had to remind myself there was a film maker in the room at the time. The camera is that unobtrusive. As if it's not even there. The underlying story is very unusual, intriguing, and utterly engaging.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Audience Member

Accompanied by the arresting painting talent from Barbora Kysilkova, Benjamin Ree presents a masterful work of passionate filmmaking, a fascinating film that is not only deeply touching, but also evoking and a study of the power of forgivness, as well as a analysis of the stranger than fiction bounds between human beings.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

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Audience Member

This story did not go where I thought it was going.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/10/23

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ari v

A well-crafted look at our weakness for destruction. A backdoor, not unlike the one Milgram shone light on.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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Benjamin Ree

Director

Barbora Kysilkova

Self

Karl-Bertil Nordland

Self

Øystein Stene

Self

Ingvil Giske

Producer

Morgan Neville

Executive Producer

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The Painter and the Thief: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Czech artist Barbora Kysilkova develops an unlikely friendship with the man who stole two of her paintings.

Director: Benjamin Ree
Producer: Ingvil Giske
Distributor: Neon
Production Co: Tremolo Productions, Medieoperatørene
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 22, 2020, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): May 22, 2020
Runtime: 1h 42m

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