SDFF 2021

Can Art Stop a Bullet: William Kelly’s Big Picture

Expired June 18, 2021 6:59 AM
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Can Art Stop a Bullet: William Kelly’s Big Picture:

William Kelly, the social conscience of Australian art, said: “Art can’t stop a bullet, but it can stop a bullet from being fired.” Can it?


Filmmaker Q+A: Can Art Stop A Bullet filmmaker Mark Street + Artist/Documentary Subject William Kelly.

Filmed on five continents, with 20 contributors, this documentary explores the power of art to influence the violence in our world. It reveals the creation of William Kelly’s monumental artwork “Peace or War/The Big Picture.” The film depicts horrific moments in history and the artists who have created work commenting commemorating them.


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 juxtaposed against anti-war and anti-gun demonstrations today. The film becomes Kelly's "Big Picture" in documentary form.


An SDFF exclusive Q+A between director Mark Street and artist/documentary subject William Kelly, and SDFF co-director and lead programmer Jean McGlothlin is available now. Watch it here!


Awards l The IndieFEST Film Awards Award of Merit Winner l 2020 Atom Awards Winner l Accolade Global Film Competition Award of Excellence Winner l New York Festival TV & Film Awards 2020 Silver Award l AACTA Award Best Editing In A Documentary l 2020 Worldfest Houston International Film Festival Remi Winner l Richmond International Film Festival Grand Jury Prize


find + follow film l website l facebook l See Filmmaker Q+A

  • Year
    2019
  • Runtime
    90 mins
  • Language
    English
  • Country
    Australia
  • Director
    Mark Street
  • Screenwriter
    Terry Cantwell
  • Producer
    Fiona Cochrane
  • Filmmaker
    Mark Street, Fiona Cochrane
  • Cast
    William Kelly, A.C. Grayling, Rama Mani, Martin Sheen, Huynh Cong "Nick" Út
  • Cinematographer
    Mark Street
  • Editor
    Daniela Raulli
  • Sound Design
    David Muir