Film Screening: "Exit Through the Gift Shop"

What happens when the observer suddenly becomes an artist himself? French film enthusiast Thierry Guetta spent years documenting the international street art scene and shadowing artists such as Shepard Fairey, Invader, and, ultimately, Banksy. But then the story takes a turn: Banksy takes control of the footage, while Guetta bursts onto the art scene himself under the name “Mr. Brainwash.”

Banksy’s documentary—as entertaining as it is thought-provoking—plays with the boundaries between art and commerce, authenticity and performance. It remains unclear until the very end just how much of this story is documentary and how much is a clever deception.

Director: Banksy
Release Year: 2010
Country of Origin: United Kingdom
Runtime: 87 minutes
Genre: Documentary, Art Film
Language: English and French
Starring: Banksy, Thierry Guetta, Shepard Fairey, and Invader