Oscar Buzz Presents: Art and Craft

Oscar Buzz Presents: Art and Craft

(Oscar nominated and shortlisted documentaries.)

Sam Cullman, Mark Becker, Jennifer Grausman, 2014, 90 min

Mark Landis has been called one of the most prolific art forgers in US history. His impressive body of work spans thirty years, covering a wide range of painting styles and periods that includes 15th Century Icons, Picasso, and even Walt Disney. And while the copies could fetch impressive sums on the open market, Landis isn’t in it for money. Posing as a philanthropic donor, a grieving executor of a family member’s will, and most recently as a Jesuit priest, Landis has given away hundreds of works over the years to a staggering list of institutions across the United States. But after duping Matthew Leininger, a tenacious registrar who ultimately discovers the decades-long ruse and sets out to expose his philanthropic escapades to the art world, Landis must confront his own legacy and a chorus of museum professionals clamoring for him to stop. Art and Craft starts out as a cat-and-mouse art caper, rooted in questions of authorship and authenticity—but what emerges is an intimate story of obsession and the universal need for community, appreciation, and purpose. Shortlisted for the 2015 Best Documentary Feature Academy Award.

Q&A with directors Sam Cullman, Mark Becker, and Jennifer Grausman in person, and subject Mark Landis via Skype.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gseZBhZqvb0

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