Benjamin Ree

Ree began making films at the age of eleven{{Cite web|url=https://filmmakermagazine.com/108855-since-my-background-was-from-journalism-i-had-to-learn-film-language-and-relearn-what-i-thought-about-storytelling-benjamin-ree-on-his-sundance-doc-the-painter-and-the-thief/|title='Should You Give the Person a Hug, or Should You Continue Filming?': Benjamin Ree on His Art World Crime Doc The Painter and the Thief|first=Lauren|last=Wissot|date=23 May 2020|work=Filmmaker Magazine }} and studied journalism at Oslo Metropolitan University.[https://timetoriot.com/blog/54 ‘CHECKMATE BENJAMIN REE ] After his studies Ree worked as a freelance videojournalist for BBC and Reuters,{{Cite web|url=https://www.nfi.no/eng/news/2019/the-painter-and-the-thief-to-be-screened-at-sundance|title=The Painter and the Thief to be screened at Sundance|website=Norwegian Film Institute}} most notably covering the 2011 Norway attacks.{{Cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-norway-lawyer-idUSBRE82P10H20120326|title=The ordeal of defending Norway's mass killer|first1=Balazs|last1=Koranyi|first2=Benjamin|last2=Ree|date=March 26, 2012|publisher=Reuters}} Ree has said in interviews that making his first feature Magnus was his film school: "There I understood that I could transfer the interviews to a universal, nonverbal cinematic language."

His debut film, Magnus (2016), premiered at Tribeca Film Festival{{Cite web|url=https://www.tribecafilm.com/festival/archive/magnus-2016|title=Magnus | 2016 Tribeca Film Festival|website=Tribeca}} and was distributed to 64 countries.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sundance.org/projects/the-painter-and-the-thief|title=the-painter-and-the-thief|website=www.sundance.org|access-date=2020-04-08|archive-date=2020-04-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200427211415/https://www.sundance.org/projects/the-painter-and-the-thief|url-status=dead}} The film is a coming of age story about the world's best chess player Magnus Carlsen. Magnus received mostly positive reviews. It has an 81% average on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 21 reviews.{{Cite web |title=Magnus (2016) {{!}} Rotten Tomatoes |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/magnus_2016 |access-date=2024-08-15 |website=www.rottentomatoes.com |language=en}} The BBC praised the film and ranked it on its top ten list, but The New York Times gave the film a negative review.{{Cite web |title=Ten films to watch in November |url=https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20161028-ten-films-to-watch-in-november |access-date=2024-08-15 |website=www.bbc.com |date=28 October 2016 |language=en-GB}}{{Cite news |last=Catsoulis |first=Jeannette |date=2016-11-17 |title=Review: 'Magnus' Delves Into the Life of a 'Mozart of Chess' |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/18/movies/magnus-review.html |access-date=2024-08-15 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} The film won several awards at festivals, including the Global Future Prize at the Oulu International Children's and Youth Film Festival, The Ray of Sunshine prize at the Norwegian International Film Festival, and the Audience Award at Docville.https://www.oulunelokuvakeskus.fi/assets/site/files/LIITETIEDOSTOT/LEF/Winners-2016.pdf{{Cite web |last=Jensen |first=Jorn Rossing |date=2016-08-26 |title=Norwegian Fest Honors Pernilla August as Doc 'Magnus' Takes Top Prize |url=https://variety.com/2016/film/festivals/norwegian-fest-honors-pernilla-august-as-doc-magnus-takes-top-prize-1201845610/ |access-date=2024-08-15 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5471480/awards/ |title=Magnus (2016) - Awards - IMDb |language=en-US |access-date=2024-08-15 |via=www.imdb.com}}

His second feature film, The Painter and the Thief (2020), was one of the opening films at Sundance Film Festival{{Cite web|url=https://www.sundance.org/blogs/news/2020-sundance-features-announced|title=2020 SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL: 118 FEATURE FILMS ANNOUNCED|website=www.sundance.org}} where it won a Special Jury Award for Creative Storytelling.{{Cite web |date=2020-06-11 |title=award-winner-tba-12 {{!}} Sundance Institute |url=https://www.sundance.org/projects/award-winner-tba-12 |access-date=2024-01-28 |archive-date=2020-06-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200611151244/https://www.sundance.org/projects/award-winner-tba-12 |url-status=dead }} The film tells the story of an artist who befriends the thief who stole two of her paintings.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sundance.org/blogs/festival/the-painter-and-the-thief-creates-a-portrait-of-two-lost-souls-that-will-restore-your-faith-in-human-connection|title=Now Streaming: 'The Painter and the Thief' Creates a Portrait of Two Lost Souls|website=www.sundance.org}} NEON bought the world rights to the film after the Sundance Film Festival premiere.{{Cite web|url=https://variety.com/2020/film/global/neon-benjamin-rees-the-painter-and-the-thief-sundance-1203512655/|title=Neon Takes Worldwide Rights on Benjamin Ree's 'The Painter and the Thief'|first1=Leo|last1=Barraclough|date=February 24, 2020}} It received overall positive reviews, averaging 97% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 112 reviews.{{Cite web |title=The Painter and the Thief {{!}} Rotten Tomatoes |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_painter_and_the_thief |access-date=2024-08-15 |website=www.rottentomatoes.com |language=en}}

The storytelling style of The Painter and the Thief has been met with some criticism. The Painter and the Thief jumps back and forth in time, which is unusual for a documentary using the Cinéma vérité technique. This storytelling style was criticized by some reviewers for weakening the trust between filmmaker and viewer. The A.V. Club wrote that "by scrambling his film’s chronology in ways that threaten to rupture any sense of trust between director and viewer."{{Cite web |title=Twists and turns hijack the affecting true story of The Painter And The Thief |url=https://www.avclub.com/twists-and-turns-hijack-the-affecting-true-story-of-the-1843543198 |access-date=2024-08-15 |website=AV Club |language=en-US}}

The film has been named by Mubi as one of the best in film history,{{Cite web |title=The MUBI Top 1000 - Movie list |url=https://mubi.com/en/lists/the-top-1000 |access-date=2024-08-15 |website=MUBI |language=en}} by New York (magazine) to have one of the best movie endings in movie history{{Cite web |last1=Willmore |first1=Alison |last2=Ebiri |first2=Bilge |date=2021-02-22 |title=The 101 Greatest Endings in Movies History |url=https://www.vulture.com/article/the-101-best-movie-endings-of-all-time-ranked.html |access-date=2024-08-15 |website=Vulture |language=en}} and as a film that has helped change the documentary film genre.{{Cite web |date=2020-12-15 |title=IDA Staff Picks: Documentaries of the Decade {{!}} International Documentary Association |url=https://www.documentary.org/blog/ida-staff-picks-documentaries-decade |access-date=2024-08-15 |website=www.documentary.org |language=en}}{{Cite news |date=2020-12-23 |title=At Home's Best of 2020 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/23/at-home/newsletter.html |access-date=2024-08-15 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} Vanity Fair placed The Painter and the Thief at the top of documentaries that were changing the genre.{{Cite magazine |last=Ansen |first=David |date=2021-02-24 |title=What's Up, Docs? A Year of Groundbreaking Nonfiction Movies |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2021/02/a-year-of-groundbreaking-nonfiction-movies |access-date=2024-08-15 |magazine=Vanity Fair |language=en-US}}

The film won over 30 film awards.,{{Cite web |title=Ibelin |url=https://www.nfi.no/tildelinger-old/utvikling-og-produksjon/ibelin |access-date=2024-08-15 |website=NFI |language=no}} including the Audience Award for Best Documentary Virtual at the London Film Festival and the Golden FireBird Award at the Hong Kong International Film Festival.{{Cite web |last=Benutty |first=John |date=2020-11-03 |title='The Painter and the Thief': Art, crime, addiction and friendship explored in moving Norwegian documentary |url=https://www.goldderby.com/article/2020/the-painter-and-the-thief-oscars-documentary-feature-analysis/ |access-date=2024-08-15 |website=GoldDerby |language=en-US}} In addition the film got a Directors Guild of America nomination and two nominations at the Critics' Choice Movie Awards for best director and best film.{{Cite web |last=Thompson |first=Anne |date=2020-10-26 |title='Crip Camp,' 'Gunda,' and 'Mr. Soul!' Lead Critics Choice Documentary Awards Nominations |url=https://www.indiewire.com/awards/industry/2020-critics-choice-documentary-awards-nominations-1234595148/ |access-date=2024-08-15 |website=IndieWire |language=en-US}} It has been ranked as the best film of 2020 by The New York Times, Vox{{Cite web |last=Wilkinson |first=Alissa |date=2020-12-17 |title=The best movies you may have missed in 2020 |url=https://www.vox.com/culture/22160048/best-movies-2020-streaming |access-date=2024-08-15 |website=Vox |language=en-US}} and Aftenposten.{{cite web|access-date=2022-07-15 |language=nb |title=Dette er årets beste filmer |url=https://www.aftenposten.no/kultur/i/R91qk5/kaaring-dette-er-aarets-beste-filmer |work=www.aftenposten.no|date=27 December 2020 }} The film was named one of the year's best films by BBC,{{cite web|access-date=2022-07-15 |first=Nicholas Barber and Caryn |language=en |surname=James |title=The best films of 2020 |url=https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20200702-the-best-films-of-2020-so-far |work=www.bbc.com|date=18 December 2020 }} Washington Post,{{cite news|access-date=2022-07-15 |issn=0190-8286 |language=en-US |newspaper=Washington Post |title=Perspective {{!}} Best movies of 2020: Diverse thrills, chills, Dickensian laughs and a pandemic-friendly trip to Greece |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/best-movies-of-2020/2020/12/07/3d3584ee-334f-11eb-b59c-adb7153d10c2_story.html}} Boston Globe{{cite web|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/12/17/arts/10-excellent-movies-25-runners-up-not-so-excellent-year/ |title=Here are 10 excellent movies (and 25 runners-up) from a not-so-excellent year |newspaper=Boston Globe |date=2020-12-18 |access-date=2024-08-06}} and The Guardian.{{cite web|access-date=2022-07-15 |date=2020-12-30 |language=en |title=From corruption to summer camp: the best documentaries of 2020 |url=http://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/dec/30/best-documentaries-2020-film |work=the Guardian}}

His third documentary feature film, Ibelin, premiered in competition at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the World Documentary Directing Award and the Audience Award.{{Cite web |date=2024-01-26 |title=2024 Sundance Film Festival Announces Award Winners - sundance.org |url=https://www.sundance.org/blogs/2024-sundance-film-festival-announces-award-winners/ |access-date=2024-01-27 |language=en-US}} It was picked up for distribution by Netflix.

The film documents the life of "Mats Steen, a Norwegian gamer who died of a degenerative muscular disease at the age of 25".{{cite web |url=https://variety.com/2024/film/global/ibelin-benjamin-ree-sundance-1235872172/ |title='Ibelin' Filmmaker Benjamin Ree on How to Make a Documentary With an Avatar as the Main Star |work=Variety |date=2024-01-18 |access-date=2024-08-06}} The title comes from the name of a character in World of Warcraft.{{Cite web |date=25 January 2024 |title=Benjamin Ree • Director of Ibelin |url=https://cineuropa.org/en/interview/455472/ |access-date=28 January 2024 |website=Cineuropa - the best of european cinema |language=en}}

{{Rotten Tomatoes prose |score=100 |count=20 |average=8.2 |ref=yes |access-date=17 March 2024}} {{Metacritic film prose |score=72 |count=nine |ref=yes |access-date=17 March 2024}} Variety praised the film, stating "It’s a world unto itself, and a glowing example of how moviemaking — like a person’s digital footprint — can be a form of immortality that soothes even the most devastating loss." and calling it "[...]a moving, multifaceted masterwork"{{Cite web |last=Adlakha |first=Siddhant |date=20 January 2024 |title='Ibelin' Review: A Shattering Documentary About a Gamer's Secret Life |url=https://variety.com/2024/film/reviews/ibelin-review-1235880100/ |access-date=28 January 2024 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}

Ree researched and directed the TV documentary series Conversion Therapy with Morten Hegseth (2019) which uncovers how religious groups are offering Conversion Therapy for gay people in Norway.{{Cite web|url=https://www.vg.no/spesial/2019/homoterapi/|title=Homoterapi|website=VG Nett}} In the aftermath of the series, the Prime Minister of Norway Erna Solberg said that she would stop the practice of conversion therapy in Norway: "We have to ensure that the abuses we have seen documented by VG do not happen in the future", she said.[https://www.dagsavisen.no/nyheter/innenriks/erna-solberg-lover-a-sette-en-stopper-for-homoterapi-1.1617505 Erna Solberg][https://www.aftenposten.no/norge/politikk/i/xPdj5G/erna-solberg-stoetter-homoterapi-utredning Erna Solberg støtter homoterapi-utredning]

• Magnus (2016)
• The Painter and the Thief (2020)
• Ibelin (2024)

{{reflist}}

• [https://benjaminree.com/ Official website]
• Benjamin Ree on [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5558989/ IMDB]
• BBC World Service interview with [https://benjaminreedotcom.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/utdrag.mp3 Benjamin Ree]

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Category:Norwegian directors

Category:Oslo Metropolitan University alumni

Category:1989 births

Category:Living people

Category:Sundance Film Festival award winners