The Painter and the Thief

When two oil paintings are stolen in broad daylight from a gallery in Oslo, the artist Barbora is both stunned and curious. Who would take such a risk for her almost unknown and sombre-looking works? When she encounters the identified thief in the courtroom, she, surprisingly, asks him to meet her. He agrees. In the hope of finding out more about the theft and the whereabouts of her works, Barbora spends more and more time with the mysterious Karl-Bertil, who allegedly can’t remember what he did. His drug addiction has left strong traces, but Barbora is also struggling with her own demons, and the more the two get to know each other, the stronger their bond becomes. THE PAINTER AND THE THIEF describes from both perspectives over a timespan of three years the unusual way in which the art thief Karl-Bertil becomes the muse and friend of the artist Barbora.