By now, people may have viewed feature films such as Monuments Men and Woman in Gold (2014) about stolen artworks in Europe. These films were shown in theaters and are likely available for streaming. These films were about art theft during WW II, and now a documentary film about a more current theft has been discovered.
The feature documentary Artifact War premiered at the 2024 Austin Film Festival on October 27. Directed by Evan Carpenter and Jacob Schwarz, it is about a team of archaeologists-turned-spies who brave Syria’s civil war and infiltrate the ranks of ISIS to uncover the greatest art theft since WW II and unravel a conspiracy that implicates Western museums and one of the world’s most powerful companies.
The film featuring Amr Al Azm, Adnan Almohamad, and Katie Paul is very engaging and informative about how archaeologists act to document art that has been taken from museums and other places to be then moved and possibly never to be seen again. It is an incredible story of bravery through a network of sources and methods to avoid being discovered and/or captured. The professor and his students are acting to save some of their cultural heritage and make an even larger discovery.
The public is not as “new” to art theft because it has been known to happen in the past. What I find eye-opening is who and what is involved with art theft, and to give details is to spoil this. It is best to view the film and learn about the terrorists and corporations involved. I should not be so surprised about corporations being involved, but it is good to relay the information publicly.
I know that films about war are expected to be loud, and I can normally get through them without much trouble. However, I did find the sound to be quite louder than expected, and it may have been in the theater instead of the film’s sound. So, just as a suggestion, take some ear plugs for anyone with sensitivity when you can view the film at future film festivals. It is worth viewing both the people involved and the reenactments.
Executive Producer: Kathryn Schwarz, Producer: Willem Kampenhout
Runtime: 91 min
Source: Mystery Box films, Austin Film Festival