Can Art Stop a Bullet: William Kelly's Big Picture (2020)

Can Art Stop a Bullet: William Kelly's Big Picture (2020) poster

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 masterpiece, unfolding to create the ‘Big Picture’ in documentary form.

Director: Mark Street
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: 93 min
Release Date:

Cast

Screenplay

Editing: Daniela Raulli
Language: English
Original Language: en

Keywords

political activism

Trailer

Can Art Stop a Bullet: William Kelly's Big Picture Trailer
More Films by Director: Mark Street
More Films in Genre: Documentary

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Can Art Stop a Bullet: William Kelly's Big Picture about?
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 masterpiece, unfolding to create the ‘Big Picture’ in documentary form.
Who directed Can Art Stop a Bullet: William Kelly's Big Picture?
Can Art Stop a Bullet: William Kelly's Big Picture was directed by Mark Street.
Who stars in Can Art Stop a Bullet: William Kelly's Big Picture?
Can Art Stop a Bullet: William Kelly's Big Picture stars Martin Sheen, William Kelly, Nick Ut, Rama Mani.
How long is Can Art Stop a Bullet: William Kelly's Big Picture?
Can Art Stop a Bullet: William Kelly's Big Picture has a runtime of 1h 33m (93 minutes).
What genre is Can Art Stop a Bullet: William Kelly's Big Picture?
Can Art Stop a Bullet: William Kelly's Big Picture is a Documentary film.