The Painter and the Thief

1h 42m · 2020 · Directed by Benjamin Ree · 3.9 / 5 on Letterboxd

The Painter and the Thief (2020) runs 1h 42m, directed by Benjamin Ree. It is one of 3,647 films in the 100 Minute Movies catalog — every one rated 3.0 or higher by Letterboxd members and short enough to finish in an evening.

When two of artist Barbora Kysilkova’s most valuable paintings are stolen from a gallery at Frogner in Oslo, the police are able to find the thief after a few days, but the paintings are nowhere to be found. Barbora goes to the trial in hopes of finding clues, but instead she ends up asking the thief if she can paint a portrait of him. This will be the start of a very unusual friendship. Over three years, the cinematic documentary follows the incredible story of the artist looking for her stolen paintings, while at the same time turning the thief into art.

Genres: Documentary

No US streaming listed when we last checked (9 July 2026). Availability changes often.