"A Crime Against Art" is a film based on the trial staged at an art fair in Madrid in February 2007. The trial, inspired by the mock trials organized by avant-garde movements in the 1920's and 30's, theatrically raised a number of polemical issues in the world of contemporary art: collusion with the ‘new bourgeoisie’, instrumentalization of art and its institutions, the future possibility of critical artistic agency and other pertinent subjects. The trial begins with the assumption that a crime has been committed, yet its nature and evidence are allusive and no victims have come forward. The testimonies and cross-examinations become an attempt by the Judge (Jan Verwoert), the Prosecutors (Vasif Kortun and Chus Martinez) and the Defense Attorney (Charles Esche) to unravel the nature of the puzzling "crime against art". Set as a television courtroom drama and filmed by four camera crews, "A Crime Against Art" presents a condensed 90 minutes version of a the trial.

Cast:
Defendants: Anton Vidokle and Tirdad Zolgdhar
Prosecutors: Vasif Kortun and Chus Martinez
Defense Attorney: Charles Esche
Judge: Jan Verwoert
Expert Witnesses: Maria Lind and Anselm Franke
Artist: Setareh Shabazi
Public: Keti Chukrov and Barnaby Drabble
With special contribution by Liam Gillick

Editing: Eric Menard and Hila Peleg
Sound mixing: Christian Obermaier and Ekkehard Strauhs
Sound repair: Uwe Seyfert
Camera: Michel Balague, Eric Menard, José Joaquin Silva Sevilla
and Angel Castillo Pascual
Technical team in Madrid: Rubén Diaz Garcia and José Angel Ordonez
Producer: unitednationpslazastudios

"A Crime Against Art" is based on "The Trial" in Madrid, February 2007
Organised by Anton Vidokle and Tirdad Zolgdhar