Our take
What happens when Banksy, one of the most famous ambassadors of street art, meets Mr. Brainwash, an egocentric aspiring French artist? Well, one of the funniest, interesting and exciting documentaries ever made about art, commercialism and the apparent gulf between them. But is it really a documentary? This confident and zany film will leave you guessing.
What it won
Other
1 nom
The story
Banksy is a graffiti artist with a global reputation whose work can be seen on walls from post-hurricane New Orleans to the separation barrier on the Palestinian West Bank. Fiercely guarding his anonymity to avoid prosecution, Banksy has so far resisted all attempts to be captured on film. Exit Through the Gift Shop tells the incredible true story of how an eccentric French shop keeper turned documentary maker attempted to locate and befriend Banksy, only to have the artist turn the camera back on its owner.
Elsewhere
"Banksy's debut film is poignant without pretentiousness."
— Declan Tan
"Narrated by Rhys Ifans with the dryness of a dessicated toad, Exit Through the Gift Shop is both an exhilarating testament to serendipity and an appalling testament to art-world inanity."
— David Edelstein
The details
‘Exit through the gift shop’ is one of those documentaries that does not feel like one at all. I initially started this movie to know more about Banksy, but as it turns out the real star in this is Mr. Brainwash – a weird and amateur videographer who accidentally gets involved with the world of street art in LA. His eccentricities would keep you laughing through-out the movie and at the end you would find yourself with more questions about the characters than before. A good recommendation for anyone (artist or otherwise).