In the latest of a number of additions to its bouquet, film and television studio and streaming network FilmRise has acquired North American distribution rights to true-crime documentary feature film The Thief Collector.
From Emmy Award-winning director Allison Otto, the film has been described as “an art-heist documentary with an ‘Oh. My. God.’ factor”, and tells the story of what is said to be one of the most audacious and puzzling art thefts of a generation when in 1985, Willem de Kooning’s seminal work, “Woman-Ochre,” was sliced from its frame and stolen off the walls of the University of Arizona Museum of Art, disappearing into the desert. Over thirty years later the $160 million dollar painting was rediscovered in the unlikeliest of places: the home of an eccentric married couple, both schoolteachers, in a remote town in New Mexico.
The Thief Collector had its world premiere at the 2022 SXSW Film Festival where it was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize. It was also nominated for the Ad Hoc Docs Competition at the 2022 Cleveland International Film Festival.
The film was produced by Caryn Capotosto (Museum & Crane), Jill Latiano Howerton and Joshua Kunau (Roots Productions) with premium global nonfiction entertainment studio XTR. Bryn Mooser, Kathryn Everett, Justin Lacob, Tony Hsieh, John Boccardo, Derek Esplin and Andy Hsieh are the film’s executive producers.
“We are confident streaming audiences will be drawn to Allison Otto’s new film as it uniquely combines the strong appeal and captivating nature of crime documentaries together with the true story of one of the most audacious art heists in history, making it irresistible,” said FilmRise SVP, acquisitions & co-productions (head of content) Max Einhorn. “We are also always thrilled to bring premium true crime stories by stellar independent filmmakers to our streaming offerings in the genre so we can reach even broader audiences.”
The Thief Collector had its world premiere at the 2022 SXSW Film Festival where it was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize. It was also nominated for the Ad Hoc Docs Competition at the 2022 Cleveland International Film Festival.
The film was produced by Caryn Capotosto (Museum & Crane), Jill Latiano Howerton and Joshua Kunau (Roots Productions) with premium global nonfiction entertainment studio XTR. Bryn Mooser, Kathryn Everett, Justin Lacob, Tony Hsieh, John Boccardo, Derek Esplin and Andy Hsieh are the film’s executive producers.
“We are confident streaming audiences will be drawn to Allison Otto’s new film as it uniquely combines the strong appeal and captivating nature of crime documentaries together with the true story of one of the most audacious art heists in history, making it irresistible,” said FilmRise SVP, acquisitions & co-productions (head of content) Max Einhorn. “We are also always thrilled to bring premium true crime stories by stellar independent filmmakers to our streaming offerings in the genre so we can reach even broader audiences.”
