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William Kelly, widely considered the social conscience of Australian art, once said: “Art can’t stop a bullet, but it can stop a bullet from being fired.”
Can it?
Filmed on five continents, with contributions from over 20 artists, thinkers and activists, this documentary explores the power of art to influence the violence in the world.
The film documents the creation of Kelly’s monumental artwork “Peace or War/The Big Picture”.
It is a tapestry of history and art, drawn from major artworks and photos from the defining conflicts of their times. This immense visual collage allows the audience to navigate through time and place, meeting survivors of these horrific moments in history and the artists who have created work commenting on these periods, some of which have become iconic.
Through Kelly’s drawings, the audience is transported to the concentration camps of the Third Reich, the bombing of Hiroshima, “the troubles” in Ireland, the race riots in the US and Pol Pot’s Year Zero. Interwoven with archival footage of these cataclysmic events, the audience is invited to visit anti-war and anti-gun demonstrations today, events that call for similar injustices to be stopped.
The film is a parallel work to Kelly’s enduring masterpiece, unfolding to create the ‘Big Picture’ in documentary form.
Can it?
Filmed on five continents, with contributions from over 20 artists, thinkers and activists, this documentary explores the power of art to influence the violence in the world.
The film documents the creation of Kelly’s monumental artwork “Peace or War/The Big Picture”.
It is a tapestry of history and art, drawn from major artworks and photos from the defining conflicts of their times. This immense visual collage allows the audience to navigate through time and place, meeting survivors of these horrific moments in history and the artists who have created work commenting on these periods, some of which have become iconic.
Through Kelly’s drawings, the audience is transported to the concentration camps of the Third Reich, the bombing of Hiroshima, “the troubles” in Ireland, the race riots in the US and Pol Pot’s Year Zero. Interwoven with archival footage of these cataclysmic events, the audience is invited to visit anti-war and anti-gun demonstrations today, events that call for similar injustices to be stopped.
The film is a parallel work to Kelly’s enduring masterpiece, unfolding to create the ‘Big Picture’ in documentary form.
CAN ART STOP A BULLET : WILLIAM KELLY'S BIG PICTURE
a feature documentary; 93 minutes; completed in October 2019
a feature documentary; 93 minutes; completed in October 2019
WRITER/DIRECTOR – Mark Street
PRODUCER - Fiona Cochrane
EDITOR – Dani Raulli
ON-LINE EDITOR – Alan Ryan
CINEMATOGRAPHER – Mark Street
SOUND –David Muir, Mark Street & Doron Kipen
PRODUCER - Fiona Cochrane
EDITOR – Dani Raulli
ON-LINE EDITOR – Alan Ryan
CINEMATOGRAPHER – Mark Street
SOUND –David Muir, Mark Street & Doron Kipen
Premiered at the 2019 United Nations Film Festival, USA
Silver Award for ‘Human Concerns’ Documentary at 2020 New York Film Festivals
Gold Remi for World Peace & Understanding at 2020 WorldFEST Houston Film & Video Festival
International Peace Platinum Award at 2020 World Peace Awards, Indonesia
Best Feature Documentary at 2020 The Indie Gathering International Film Festival, USA
Special Mention Award at 2019 Big Syn International Film Festival, UK
Award of Merit Special Mention: Liberation / Social Justice / Protest at 2019 IndieFEST Awards (USA)
Award of Excellence at 2019 Depth of Field International Film Festival, USA
Award of Excellence: Documentary Feature at 2020 Impact DOCS Awards, USA
Award of Excellence: Liberation / Social Justice / Protest &
Award of Excellence: Documentary Feature at 2020 Accolade Global Film Competition, USA
Excellence Award at 2020 Docs Without Borders Film Festival competition, USA
Award of Excellence at 2020 Pacific Screen Awards
Monthly Winner in Documentary film at 2020 Twilight Tokyo Film Festival, Japan
Finalist for Best Documentary at 2020 Maverick Movie Awards, USA
Nomination for Best Arts Documentary at 2020 ATOM Awards, Australia
Nomination for Best Directing: Feature &
Nomination for Best Editing: Feature at 2021 Indie Gathering, USA
2020 Legacy Award for William Kelly at 2020 Richmond International Film Festival, USA
Official Selection at 2020 Nepal Human Rights International Film Festival
Official Selection at 2020 Orlando International Film Festival, USA
Official Selection at 2020 APOX Croatia Film Festival
Official Selection at 2020 Melbourne Documentary Film Festival
Official Selection at 2020 DOCUTAH International Documentary Film Festival, USA
Official Selection at 2020 Mosaic World Film Festival, USA
Official Selection at 2020 SAFILM – San Antonio Film Festival, USA
Official Selection at 2020 Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, USA
Official Selection at 2020 Global Peace Film Festival, USA
Official Selection at 2020 Albuquerque Film & Music Experience, USA
Official Selection at 2020 Lunenburg Doc Fest, Canada
Official Selection at 2020 Newburyport Documentary Film Festival, USA
Official Selection at 2020 Social Justice Film Festival, USA
Official Selection at 2020 Louisville’s International Festival of Film, USA
Official Selection at 2020 Orlando Film Festival, USA
Official Selection at 2020 Kansas International Film Festival, USA
Official Selection at Picasso Einstein Buddha International Film Festival 2020, India
Official Selection at 2020 Urban Mediamakers Festival, USA
Official Selection at 2020 YoFiFest, The Yonkers Film Festival, USA
Official Selection at 2020 North Dakota Human Rights Film Festival, USA
Silver Award for ‘Human Concerns’ Documentary at 2020 New York Film Festivals
Gold Remi for World Peace & Understanding at 2020 WorldFEST Houston Film & Video Festival
International Peace Platinum Award at 2020 World Peace Awards, Indonesia
Best Feature Documentary at 2020 The Indie Gathering International Film Festival, USA
Special Mention Award at 2019 Big Syn International Film Festival, UK
Award of Merit Special Mention: Liberation / Social Justice / Protest at 2019 IndieFEST Awards (USA)
Award of Excellence at 2019 Depth of Field International Film Festival, USA
Award of Excellence: Documentary Feature at 2020 Impact DOCS Awards, USA
Award of Excellence: Liberation / Social Justice / Protest &
Award of Excellence: Documentary Feature at 2020 Accolade Global Film Competition, USA
Excellence Award at 2020 Docs Without Borders Film Festival competition, USA
Award of Excellence at 2020 Pacific Screen Awards
Monthly Winner in Documentary film at 2020 Twilight Tokyo Film Festival, Japan
Finalist for Best Documentary at 2020 Maverick Movie Awards, USA
Nomination for Best Arts Documentary at 2020 ATOM Awards, Australia
Nomination for Best Directing: Feature &
Nomination for Best Editing: Feature at 2021 Indie Gathering, USA
2020 Legacy Award for William Kelly at 2020 Richmond International Film Festival, USA
Official Selection at 2020 Nepal Human Rights International Film Festival
Official Selection at 2020 Orlando International Film Festival, USA
Official Selection at 2020 APOX Croatia Film Festival
Official Selection at 2020 Melbourne Documentary Film Festival
Official Selection at 2020 DOCUTAH International Documentary Film Festival, USA
Official Selection at 2020 Mosaic World Film Festival, USA
Official Selection at 2020 SAFILM – San Antonio Film Festival, USA
Official Selection at 2020 Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, USA
Official Selection at 2020 Global Peace Film Festival, USA
Official Selection at 2020 Albuquerque Film & Music Experience, USA
Official Selection at 2020 Lunenburg Doc Fest, Canada
Official Selection at 2020 Newburyport Documentary Film Festival, USA
Official Selection at 2020 Social Justice Film Festival, USA
Official Selection at 2020 Louisville’s International Festival of Film, USA
Official Selection at 2020 Orlando Film Festival, USA
Official Selection at 2020 Kansas International Film Festival, USA
Official Selection at Picasso Einstein Buddha International Film Festival 2020, India
Official Selection at 2020 Urban Mediamakers Festival, USA
Official Selection at 2020 YoFiFest, The Yonkers Film Festival, USA
Official Selection at 2020 North Dakota Human Rights Film Festival, USA
AWARDS/SCREENINGS
CREATIVE TEAM
Distributed theatrically via FanForce films - https://fan-force.com/films/can-art-stop-a-bullet/
Distributed on TV etc via TVF International –
https://tvfinternational.com/programme/17837/can-art-stop-a-bullet?trailer=1
Website
HYPERLINK "https://www.kellysbigpicture.com/" https://www.kellysbigpicture.com
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/WilliamKellysBigPicture
You Tube channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn4Mr6UfSF3bbq6rElblCyA?view_as=subscriber
Distributed on TV etc via TVF International –
https://tvfinternational.com/programme/17837/can-art-stop-a-bullet?trailer=1
Website
HYPERLINK "https://www.kellysbigpicture.com/" https://www.kellysbigpicture.com
https://www.facebook.com/WilliamKellysBigPicture
You Tube channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCn4Mr6UfSF3bbq6rElblCyA?view_as=subscriber