The Missing Piece: Mona Lisa, Her Thief, the True Story

Oct 20 2012 Not Rated 1h 25m
Crime, Documentary, History

A man steals the Mona Lisa from the Louvre in 1911. His 84-year-old daughter thought he did it for patriotic reasons. A filmmaker spends more than 30 years trying to find the truth.

Plot

How did an unassuming house painter from Italy pull off "the greatest little known art heist in modern time?" Was his motivation more than money? Writer-director Joe Medeiros traces the path of Vincenzo Peruggia, charged with the 1911 theft of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa from The Louvre, and finds the story of a daughter mourning the father she never knew and a country recovering from old wounds. Combining historical photographs, animation and interviews with Peruggia's descendants, Medeiros answers why and how the man called "Macaroni" by his French co-workers absconded with and kept the legendary painting for two years. This riveting, often humorous documentary portrays a man struggling to find his way in the world and make his family proud. Most touching are the scenes of Peruggia's 84-year-old daughter, Celestina, who grew up on stories about her father and longed for the truth.

Written by

Joe Medeiros

Directed by

Joe Medeiros

Languages

English

Awards

1 win & 1 nomination

Scores
# of Votes
209
Average Rating
7.2 out of 10
Metascore
NA
Popularity
NA