Alison klaymans sensitive documentary is an essential account of the chinese artistactivists rise to international fame. A documentary that chronicles artist and activist ai weiwei as he prepares for a series of exhibitions and gets into an increasing number of clashes with the chinese government. Never sorry debuted at the 2012 sundance film festival where it won a special jury prize, and had its international premiere at berlinale. Never sorry is the first featurelength film about the internationally renowned chinese artist and activist, ai weiwei. A documentary that chronicles artist and activist ai weiwei as he prepares for a series of. Ai weiwei shows his mettle in new film never sorry public. Alison klayman documents the life and work of chinese artist and activist ai weiwei. I traveled with ai weiwei for his shows and activities throughout china, as well as in europe and the us. Artist, activist and filmmaker ai weiwei has gained international acclaim for his work, and been the subject of films including ai weiwei. In take your pills, alison klayman, best known for her 2012 film ai weiwei. Apr 10, 2017 ai weiwei never sorry 2012 juan roma producciones. Never sorry teaches us, if nothing else, that its subject will never stop speaking truth to power, whether in the form of a 140character tweet or a largescale piece of architecture. Firsttime director alison klayman gained unprecedented access to ai while working as a journalist in china.
Ai seems deliberately to blur the lines among his creative work, political efforts and private life. This time around, hes going behind the camera to explore a crisis thats currently gripping the globe. He is an undoubtedly fascinating focal point for a documentary as debut filmmaker, alison klayman, follows him for three years capturing his professional high points as well as his numerous brushes with chinese authorities, including. The film, directed by american journalist and documentarian alison klayman, follows the life of chinese activistartist ai weiwei, and was the winner of the special jury prize for spirit of defiance at the 2012 sundance film festival.
Never sorry offers an intimate perspective on the artist whose creativity spills out over all media, finding audiences online and through social networks beyond the formality of a gallery. Never sorry examines this complex intersection of artistic practice and social activism as seen through the life and art of chinas preeminent contemporary artist. Best storytelling in a documentary, nantucket film festival 2012 nominated. Never sorry examines the complex intersection of artistic practice and social activism as seen through the life and art of chinas preeminent contemporary artist. While the government focuses on opioid addiction, take your pills serves as a cautionary reminder that a drug intended for those with adhd is still causing problems nationwide the role adderall plays in driving america, and americans, is put under the spotlight in a new netflix documentary launching this week. Jan 22, 2012 database of movie trailers, clips and other videos for ai weiwei. Never sorry is the first featurelength film about the. Certainly not ai weiwei, the middlefingerwaving subject of alison klaymans revelatory documentary, ai weiwei.
Never sorry is the story of an artist who continues to make ripples in the fabric of chinese society. Never sorry is an intimate portrait of the chinese artist and political activist who came to international prominence due to his antigovernment views. This may be true, but it seems that hes shouldering more than his fair share with bold work that ranges from sculptures to documentaries and includes, perhaps his most effective canvas, twitter. Either you know the name ai weiwei or you are, to some degree, clueless. Klayman shows a project in which the artist, his middle. A documentary reveals the remarkable chinese artist ai weiwei to be a mysterious, opaque figure, but theres no denying the power of. Ai is his countrys most celebrated avantgarde artist. Art and politics collide in this eyeopening portrait of outspoken chinese artist and activist ai weiwei. Ai weiwei documentary gets middlefinger salute at sundance. A documentary reveals the remarkable chinese artist ai weiwei to be a mysterious, opaque figure. The documentary goes onto chronologically reconstruct the events that occurred from the time he was arrested at the beijing airport in april 2011 to his. In 2011, i was already editing the film in new york when ai weiwei was detained, which forced me to go back to film additional footage in beijing and also of protests around the world.
Liao, who has made berlin his home since fleeing china in 2011, had never met ai in china, and the two men were feeling each other out, the polished, cosmopolitan ai contrasting with the learned but rougher liao. Alison klayman spoke to me by phone last month during a publicity tour for the film. In recent years, ai has garnered international attention as much for his ambitious artwork as his political provocations. His efforts are tirelessly inspiring, and never sorry does an effective job of making you see things through ai weiweis eyes. Its subjectthe chinese artworld celebrity and political dissident ai weiweimade headlines a week before its u. Ai weiwei lost his appeal against a multimilliondollar tax fine on a company he founded, his lawyer said. It is the story about the power of art, the power of internet, and how these two can change it all. The first feature length doc on the iconic chinese contemporary artist, ai weiwei. Give others a chance to be inspired and strengthened by weiweis life. Empower one another to engage, create, and localize weiweis global cause.
Research art activism and protest art movements and the intriguing people behind them. Ai weiwei shows his mettle in new film never sorry. Klayman started the movie before the artists arrest in may and completed it after he was released on bail in june. Most everything he does in his life is executed in an effort to bring justice to the country in which he resides. Klayman couldnt have known that she would soon help to tell that same tale in her galvanizing documentary, ai weiwei. Never sorry is a 2012 documentary film about chinese artist and activist ai weiwei, directed by american filmmaker alison klayman. Never sorry won a special jury prize handed out in the sundance festivals documentary section. Never sorry unavoidably plays like an unfinished film. The film also will be available to watch ondemand through sundance selects. As a sequel to ai weiweis film lao ma ti hua, the film so sorry named after the artists 2009 exhibition in munich, germany shows the beginnings of the tension between ai weiwei and the chinese government. Jul 27, 2012 certainly not ai weiwei, the middlefingerwaving subject of alison klaymans revelatory documentary, ai weiwei. Never sorry is the inside story of a dissident for the digital age who inspires global audiences and blurs the boundaries of art and politics.
In april 2011, when ai disappeared into police custody for three months, he quickly became chinas most famous missing person. Her detailed portrait provides a nuanced exploration of contemporary china and. Theyve demolished his huge, newly completed art studio. Well bundle all of these goodies in a chic never sorry tote bag and you will also get a special thank. That was the same year security forces detained ai at the. Never sorry is set to open in new york on july 27 with a national rollout in august.
This film, directed by firsttime filmmaker alison klayman, shows how the artist is constantly. Follow and encourage others to follow ai weiwei on twitter and instagram. Beaten, imprisoned, and under constant surveillance, weiwei s vocal war against communist china has only escalated as theyve tightened the noose. Alison klaymans 2012 sundance film festival special jury prize winning documentary ai weiwei. In lao ma ti hua, ai weiwei travels to chengdu, china to attend the trial of the civil rights advocate tan zuoren, as a witness. Never sorry is less a great film as much as great advertising for the worlds most powerful contemporary artists incessant struggle. Never sorry with incredible access and the full participation of her subject, alison klayman presents a significant yet scattered introduction to the chinese superstar artistactivist. Power has been reinvented in the 21 st century, pushing art and culture in rapidly progressive directions. Keep his voice a loud part of the digital conversation. Ai weiwei and liao yiwu shortly after ais arrival in berlin, i accompanied the exiled chinese writer liao yiwu to meet him. Director klayman received a special jury prize at the 2012 sundance film festival for the film, which also opened the hot docs canadian international documentary festival in toronto on 26 april 2012. Database of movie trailers, clips and other videos for ai weiwei. Ai weiwei, marina abramovic documentaries opening this summer.
It was the latest development in a chapter of ais life that began with an 81day. Never sorry is the inside story of a dissident for the digital age who. Never sorry 2012 including budget, domestic and international box office gross, dvd and bluray sales reports, total earnings and profitability. A charismatic and infectiously energetic character, he achieved worldwide fame in 2008 after codesigning his countrys iconic birds nest olympic stadium and then publicly denouncing the games as government propaganda. Never sorry chinas dissident artist independent lens. Never sorry captures ai weiweis transformation from. Directed by alison klayman, the film lists unknown or not available as a castmember. Winner of the special jury prize at sundance 2012, ai weiwei. For the world to change, everyone must shoulder the burden, says the chinese artist ai weiwei. In recent years, ai has garnered international attention as much. Receive the tee, buttons, download, the never sorry dvd and two 8 x10 limited edition photographs of ai weiwei edition of 20 signed by director alison klayman. The film has since been translated into 26 languages, with theatrical releases and television broadcasts in every major territory. Watch the clip titled remembering for the film ai weiwei.
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