At the 2019 International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam, the programming strand “The Villain” looked for new ways to depict unsavory subjects.
Alison Klayman
Elizabeth Murray’s and Carmen Herrera’s Diverging Routes to Artistic Success
Recent documentaries about two well-known female painters make for a potent double bill at Film Forum.
Ai Weiwei’s Bail Conditions Lifted But He Could Face Bigamy and Pornography Charges
A year ago Chinese artist Ai Weiwei was slapped with bail conditions — after an 81-day detention by Chinese authorities — the prominent activist and artist has been freed from those shackles, but there’s no rejoicing because of what may come next.
Ai Weiwei: “Never Retreat, Retweet”
Alison Klayman’s 90-minute film Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry set out to be a portrait of the Chinese artist Ai Weiwei and along the way morphed into a highbrow, jaw-dropping reality show about fumbling, corrupt governments (China), social media (Twitter), democracy and art (Weiwei) and the power of the state (courtesy the Chengdu police), with cameo appearances by Truth, Justice and the American Way (Weiwei as a quasi Superman), brought to you by the insightful commentary of Evan Osnos of the New Yorker (among others).
Ai Weiwei Doc Director Comments on Her Award
Today, we received the following email response to our request for comment from Alison Klayman, the filmmaker behind the award-winning documentary.
Sundance Gives Ai Weiwei Middle Finger of Support
“Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry” was award the US Documentary Special Jury Prize for Spirit of Defiance at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival and the audience flipped the filmmaker off.
Watch: Ai Weiwei Documentarian Alison Klayman on Colbert Report
Director of Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry Alison Klayman hit the Colbert Report last night to talk about the Chinese artist’s arrest and his current situation. Click through for the video clip.
Video: A First-Hand Witness on Ai Weiwei
PBS documentary show Frontline features Alison Klayman’s work filming Chinese artist Ai Weiwei’s tumultuous past two years. The journalist has followed Ai through art exhibitions and political scandals alike, interviewing the artist and his family as well as the Chinese artistic community in a powerful portrait of one of the world’s most striking artistic figures.