Walking on Water, directed by Andrey Paounov, is a mesmerizing doc about Christo, an environmental artist. Paounov follows him in 2016 as he plans to build a public art project in Italy called The Floating Piers with the help of operations director Vladimir Yavachev. This isn't the kind of doc that delves into the personal life or background of its subject; Paounov's style is fly-on-the-wall rather than talkings heads which allows you to gradually learn about what makes Christo such a brilliant artist and what his personality is like. He comes across as charismatic, warm and intelligent. The Floating Piers, a floating walkway draped in yellow cloth connecting to an island in Italy, looks colorful and unique. You'll see some breathtaking aerial views of the project as thousands of people walk on it---so many people showed up, in fact, it was briefly shut down because it was at overcapacity and became a safety hazard. Those moments feel somewhat gripping as Christo deals with the setback and Yavachev finds a solution for it. Walking on Water can best be compared to last year's Leaning Into the Wind: Andy Goldsworthy. If you liked that film, you'll mostly likely enjoy this one as well. It's the kind of doc that doesn't bombard you with information; it introduces you to an artist and trusts that you'll glean info about him as you watch him at work behind-the-scenes. The film ends with a very unconventional and dryly funny, intimate moment with Christo that's unlike anything you've seen before in a doc. It's a very bold, bizarre and unexpected albeit brief scene. At a running time of 100 minutes, Walking on Water opens at Film Forum via Magnolia Films.

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Aniara
Directed by Pella Kagerman and Hugo Lilja