#JR

In this documentary, well-known French artist JR, who’s made black-and- white blow-ups his hallmark, traces his artistic career from his first nocturnal actions to the shooting of his short film Ellis, starring Robert de Niro. The story unfolds among the artist’s various projects, starting with a portrait of his friend, the director Ladj Ly, in 2004. This first large-format poster became the background for riots in the Paris suburbs. JR says that at that moment he understood “art’s power to move people from one place to another”. He began to create projects in critical areas: the wall between Israel and Palestine, portraits of women in Havana’s slums; enormous eyes on the rooftops of the Providencia favela in Rio de Janeiro. JR’s art sparks heated debates. Director Agnès Varda offers a more intimate vision of his character. The artist worked with her on the film Visages Villages. Varda describes JR as a spectacular but shy and reserved person whose private life is off-limits.