A lurid underworld is discovered when a painting sold at a gallery for $20,000 is alleged by museum curators to be counterfeit, spurring the buyer to seek the truth. That’s the premise of Canadian documentarian Jamie Kastner’s 2019 film There Are No Fakes, which is currently streaming on Amazon Prime. Taking us from upscale parts of Toronto to deep inside Ontario’s rarely visited interior — with some of the kookiest, shiftiest characters to grace the small screen this side of Tiger King as our guides — Fakes is a gripping, shocking exposé of the ethically challenged world of high-end art sales. It also explores Canada’s shameful dehumanization of its indigenous people. There is easily enough material here for a miniseries, but Kastner and editor Michael Hannan masterfully condense a many-tentacled story into a tight two hours — which, in the age of the neverending Netflix docudrama, is appreciated. Trust me on this one. CHARLIE ZAILLIAN
Watch There Are No Fakes on Amazon Prime
