Sky Ladder: The Art of Cai Guo-Qiang
The story of Chinese artist Cai Guo-Qiang and his explosive art installations.
Acclaimed filmmaker Kevin Macdonald has unfettered access to world-renowned artist Cai Guo-Qiang, whose frequent use of gunpowder serves as both an ancestral homage and an acknowledgement of humanity's fleeting nature. Creating ambitious signature pieces on the largest imaginable scales, Cai's electrifying work often transcends physical permanence, all while burning its philosophies into the audience's mind forever. (Source: Netflix Media Center) | IMDb: Trace the rise of contemporary artist Cai Guo-Qiang from childhood in Mao's China to global art world superstar, and join his quest to realize his lifelong obsession: Sky Ladder.
- Year
- 2016
- Hunter's role
- MōVi Operator & Camera Operator
- Director
- Kevin Macdonald
- Type
- Feature Doc
- Runtime
- 79 minutes
- Countries
- Argentina (Buenos Aires), China (Beijing, Fujian Province, Gobi Desert, Shanghai), Japan, UK (Bath), USA (NY)
Collaborators
- Bennett Miller — Director/Producer.
- Trevor Davidovski — Producer, Insurgent Films.
- Zara Duffy — Producer, Insurgent Films.
- Adam Peters
- Adam Biskupski
- Nick Emerson
- Fisher Stevens — Co-founder, Insurgent Media
- Florian Zinke
Awards
PREMIERE: Sundance Film Festival — January 2016 (World Premiere, World Documentary Competition) NOMINATIONS (1): • Per Netflix wiki (unspecified category) RECOGNITION: • Netflix 'Critically Acclaimed' tag • Also screened at TIFF — September 2016
Festivals
Sundance Film Festival — January 2016 (World Premiere, World Documentary Competition) [CORRECTION: previously listed as TIFF premiere — Sundance confirmed by Variety + THR reviews] • Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) — September 2016 • Netflix release — October 14, 2016
Real-world impact
The Sky Ladder itself — a 1,650-foot ladder of fire ascending into the night sky above Cai Guo-Qiang's hometown — went viral when leaked online before the film's release, generating millions of views and introducing the artist's work to a global audience far beyond the gallery world. The documentary brought Cai's exploration of the tension between artistic freedom and state control in China to mainstream awareness through Netflix, while dedicating the piece to his 100-year-old grandmother in a gesture that resonated deeply across cultures.