Walking on Water

Renowned environmental artist Christo is trying to execute The Floating Piers, a project that he and his late wife, Jeanne-Claude, started together in the 1970s. Lake Iseo, Italy, is to be the site of a three-kilometer floating walkway, covered in orange fabric, that guests can walk across—if all of the artist’s demands can be met. Following a feisty creative talent and his equally bombastic operations director, Vladimir Yavachev, Walking on Water delightfully shows just how a large-scale installation comes together, with all of its complications.

“Christo once again proves to be a colorful and larger-than-life character. Now eighty, he’s more cantankerous and scrappy than ever. His nephew, Vladimir, serves as his head of operations, and the two trade some humorous wars of words when they disagree on the best course to realize the project. . . . Paounov’s camera captures the sheer scale of the effort that goes into executing this unique project. It’s a thrill to watch so many hands come together in the service of great art.”—Pat Mullen, Point of View Magazine

“The artist’s forceful character does battle with technology, bureaucracy, corruption, and the elements, resulting in an installation of stunning beauty and a documentary that delights in capturing the act of creation.”—Jay Weissberg, Variety