Running Fence

Colour, 16 mm
USA, 1978, 58 min
Section: Forum of Independents

Synopsis

The documentary Running Fence depicts the long struggle of the famous conceptual artist, Christo, and his partner Jeanne-Claude: their four-year fight to build a 24-mile fence of white nylon fabric over the hills of California and  into the Pacific. Cost: 3 million dollars. The idea at first must seem to exist at the fringes of absurdity, for the fence was taken down as planned at the end of two weeks and now exists solely on film. There is a struggle between the artists and the state bureaucracy, who want to prevent the fence being erected, even though most of the ranchers, whose land it crosses, want it. Opposition seems insurmountable. The final unfurling of the fence brings the community together in celebration of its beauty. After four years of work, Christo sees the vision realized.