Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry (2012)
93%RT Audience Score: 87%
Awards & Nominations: 9 wins & 15 nominations
Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry is a captivating and thought-provoking documentary that delves into the life and work of one of China’s most prominent artists and activists. Through interviews with Ai Weiwei himself, as well as his family, friends, and colleagues, director Alison Klayman paints a vivid portrait of a man who is unafraid to speak truth to power, even in the face of government repression and censorship. With its mix of humor, warmth, and apprehension, the film offers a fascinating glimpse into the complexities of modern China, and the challenges faced by those who seek to effect change within its repressive political system. Whether you’re a fan of Ai Weiwei’s art or simply interested in the intersection of politics and culture, this is a documentary that is not to be missed.
Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry is a must-watch documentary for anyone who wants to learn about a modern artist and activist who is not afraid to speak truth to power. The film offers a fascinating glimpse into the life of Ai Weiwei, a man who is on a perpetual hunt for transparency in China’s repressive political system. Despite the serious subject matter, the film manages to be both charming and fun, thanks to Ai’s affable and unpretentious personality. Whether you’re an art lover or a political junkie, you won’t be disappointed by this incredible document of a courageous individual who the Chinese officials would prefer to make disappear.
Production Company(ies)
Horizon Pictures,
Distributor
IFC Films
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
China
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for some language
Year of Release
2012
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby
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Aspect ratio:1.78 : 1
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Runtime:1h 31m
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Language(s):English, Mandarin
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jul 27, 2012 Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 4, 2012
Genre(s)
Documentary
Keyword(s)
documentary, Ai Weiwei, Chinese artist, activist, artistic process, museum exhibition, family relationships, clashes with government, directed by Alison Klayman, written by Alison Klayman, produced by Adam Schlesinger, produced by Alison Klayman, reviewed by Tom Long, reviewed by Rene Rodriguez, reviewed by Tara Brady, reviewed by Marjorie Baumgarten, reviewed by John Anderson, reviewed by Mary Abbe, reviewed by David Bax, reviewed by Jim Ross, reviewed by Brian D Johnson, reviewed by Daniel Green, reviewed by Kelly Jane Torrance, R rating, English language, box office gross, IFC Films, Dan-qing Chen, Weiwei Ai, Dan Ai, Lao Ai, Lee Ambrozy, Ethan Cohen
Worldwide gross: $881,661
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $1,136,659
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,565
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 123,954
US/Canada gross: $534,100
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $688,575
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,262
US/Canada opening weekend: $41,104
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $52,992
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,190
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Weiwei Ai – Self
Dan Ai – Self
Lao Ai – Self
Lee Ambrozy – Self
Ethan Cohen – Self
Alison Klayman – Director, Producer, Writer
Adam Schlesinger – Producer
Director(s)
Alison Klayman
Writer(s)
Alison Klayman
Producer(s)
Adam Schlesinger, Alison Klayman
Film Festivals
Sundance
Awards & Nominations
9 wins & 15 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (83) | Top Critics (39) | Fresh (81) | Rotten (2)
A fascinating portrait of a modern artist and activist trying to make a difference within China’s repressive political system.
September 7, 2012 | Rating: B
Tom Long
Detroit News
TOP CRITIC
The film’s recurring theme is of an artist on a perpetual hunt for transparency, in his country and abroad.
August 16, 2012 | Rating: 3/4
Rene Rodriguez
Miami Herald
TOP CRITIC
This essential, finely honed biographical portrait is jollied along by all the ironies and complexities of modern China.
August 10, 2012 | Rating: 4/5
Tara Brady
Irish Times
TOP CRITIC
Though we might wish for more insight or explanation, Klayman’s film remains an incredible document of a courageous individual who the Chinese officials would prefer to make disappear.
August 10, 2012 | Rating: 3.5/5
Marjorie Baumgarten
Austin Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
A movie that somehow mixes apprehension for Ai with a feeling of warmth and, certainly, fun.
August 10, 2012 | Rating: 4/4
John Anderson
Newsday
TOP CRITIC
Affable and unpretentious, Ai comes across as a cagey operator whose candor is very appealing.
August 9, 2012 | Rating: 3/4
Mary Abbe
Minneapolis Star Tribune
TOP CRITIC
Never Sorry doesn’t aim to spur you into action by stoking your righteous indignation. Instead, it uses its charming, cool-kid rebel subject to make getting involved seem enticing.
March 10, 2021
David Bax
Battleship Pretension
If you are not in the slightest bit moved by it, then perhaps political and artistic apathy has sadly taken hold.
February 13, 2020
Jim Ross
TAKE ONE Magazine
Every art documentary has to look beyond the bubble of the artist. Ai Weiwei towers above the others, not just because of the artist’s brilliant work…but because he keeps pushing art beyond its boundaries, out into the world.
July 31, 2019
Brian D. Johnson
Maclean’s Magazine
Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry is both a perfect introduction to an endlessly intriguing individual, and a unveiling of sorts for fans who know the artist solely through the online arena.
January 31, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
Daniel Green
CineVue
Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry teaches us, if nothing else, that its subject will never stop speaking truth to power, whether in the form of a 140-character tweet or a large-scale piece of architecture that towers over the tiny men who try to keep him quiet.
December 27, 2018 | Rating: 3.5/4
Kelly Jane Torrance
Washington Examiner
“Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry” is tightly focused on Ai, touching only superficially on the larger Chinese art scene and the political context in which he works. That said, the film is still highly informative.
February 22, 2018
Steve Erickson
Gay City News…
Plot
AI WEIWEI: NEVER SORRY is the first feature-length film about the internationally renowned Chinese artist and activist, Ai Weiwei. In recent years, Ai has garnered international attention as much for his ambitious artwork as his political provocations. AI WEIWEI: NEVER SORRY examines this complex intersection of artistic practice and social activism as seen through the life and art of China’s preeminent contemporary artist. From 2008 to 2010, Beijing-based journalist and filmmaker Alison Klayman gained unprecedented access to Ai Weiwei. Klayman documented Ai’s artistic process in preparation for major museum exhibitions, his intimate exchanges with family members and his increasingly public clashes with the Chinese government. Klayman’s detailed portrait of the artist provides a nuanced exploration of contemporary China and one of its most compelling public figures.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Ai Weiwei is a Chinese artist and activist who is the subject of the documentary.
Alison-Klayman.jpg
