From 2008 to 2010, Beijing-based journalist and filmmaker Alison Klayman gained unprecedented access to Ai Weiwei, famous worldwide as much for his challenges to the Chinese political establishment as for his art (and the Beijing bird’s nest stadium, his design). Klayman documented Ai’s artistic process in preparation for major museum exhibitions, his intimate exchanges with family members and his increasingly public clashes with the Chinese government. Her detailed portrait of the artist provides a nuanced exploration of contemporary China and one of its most compelling public figures, as well as being a fine example of vital, committed documentary practice. Ai comes across as an impish cross between Buddha and Santa Claus, and it is undoubtedly his Warhol-like talent for self-promotion that has kept him alive until now. See the film, enjoy the man and the art; help keep him high-profile and free!
Inspiring and informative in equal measure, Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry was winner of a Special Jury Prize at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival.
