EL SEGUNDO HERALD May 21, 2020 Page 5
Entertainment
Film Review
Like Unexpected Plot Twists? Then
You’ll Love The Painter and the Thief
Morgan Rojas for cinemacy.com
Czech naturalist painter Barbora Kysilkova
has a distinct circle tattoo between her shoulder
blades; it’s a foreshadowing that shows
that the truth is oftentimes much stranger
than fiction.
After tracking down Karl-Bertil Nordland–
the man who stole two beloved oil
paintings from her exhibition in an Oslo art
gallery–Barbora asks if she can paint his
portrait. Troubled, yet determined to make
amends, Karl-Bertil agrees and becomes
Barbora’s muse, sparking a platonic love
no one expected.
Directed by Benjamin Ree, The Painter
and the Thief is a humble documentary
that tells a story of not just solving a mystery,
but the evolution of compassion and humankind.
There is no reliance on a show-stopping
score or narration; Ree and his camera act
as a fly on the wall, intimately capturing
these moments in a charming, home video-like
fashion. By shifting perspectives throughout
the film, the painter–Kysilkova–and the
thief–Nordland–each have an equal opportunity
to share their story from their point
of view.
Executive produced by famed documentarian
Morgan Neville (Won’t You Be
My Neighbor, 20 Feet From Stardom) and
released by NEON (Parasite, Portrait of a
Lady on Fire), The Painter and the Thief
already sits at 100% on Rotten Tomatoes
at the time of this review.
Available to stream this Friday, May 22nd. •
Morgan Rojas
The Painter and the Thief, courtesy of NEON.
“Film is incredibly democratic and accessible,
it’s probably the best option if you actually want
to change the world, not just re-decorate it.”
– Banksy
Douglass
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Stuarts from front page
So, he and friend Andrew Doan, who were,
said Lauren, attending a bachelor party at
the time, powwowed. Sure, why not, what
else would you do at a bachelor party other
than to brainstorm ideas about seamlessly
securing baby bottles?
Doan, works in the tech industry, in Northern
California with wife Nicole and children,
said teaming with the Stuarts to develop the
bokee has been a process he relishes, citing a
“fantastic collaboration. My relationship with
the Stuart’s has been an incredible journey
of playing-up our strengths,” he said. “My
family’s technical depth married with the
Stuart’s brand and storytelling.”
Doan’s second child was born on the same
August day that the Stuart twins arrived, and
he was going through many of the same
child-rearing tribulations as Stuart was.
Doan’s background is in engineering and
was a childhood friend of Stuart’s youngest
brother Brady, who lives in El Segundo and
works as an assistant equipment manager for
the Los Angeles Lakers.
The two fathers pooled their collective
entrepreneurial thoughts, and the bokee
prototype was developed, with Lauren being
chief prototype tester.
Here is how the product works: First,
push the bokee down on a smooth and dry
countertop. It then suctions to the tabletop
surface. Then, you place the bottle or sippy
cup into the bokee, and apply gentle pressure
as you loosen or tighten the bottle as
needed. A substantial upgrade tool in the way
youngsters have been fed since the first baby
bottle was invented in 1841. And if you do
not happen to have children who necessitate
bottle-feeding or sippy cups, Lauren said the
bokee makes a perfect beer can or beer bottle
holder. So, there is that option.
The bokee hit the market in late September
of 2019 and was recently recognized by
the Junior Products Membership Association
(JPMA), which touts innovative baby
and children’s products, as the 2020 “best
product under $25.” Brandon said he was
overwhelmed by the JPMA selection, saying
that it was “one of the top-three moments
for us, because we are such a small team.”
He said the co-founders “raised a celebratory
glass,” though it has not been discerned if
they secured the glass in a bokee prior to
the start of the celebration.
The Stuart’s have lived in El Segundo for
eight years. Brandon’s sister Taryn has been
a resident of Candy Cane Lane for more than
a decade, which is how he came to know
the unique charms of El Segundo. Asked
what brought them to settle in El Segundo,
Brandon said that, other than the family connection,
he had lived in different locales in
the Los Angeles area, and that “this is the
only place that feels like a community, and
is a great place to raise a family.”
Brandon, who is from Santa Clarita, currently
works as an executive creative director
for a San Diego company, mostly telecommuting
from home or working at the local
Uinta office-sharing building. He has also
had stints working for DreamWorks and E!
Entertainment.
A couple of his other brainstorms have
recently become a reality. He has launched
two ventures, including a tech reservation
platform that is relevant now with the advent
of necessary social-distancing, and a dog-food
subscription service.
Lauren, a University of Texas graduate,
moved to the Los Angeles area near her
brother, who had suffered the loss of his best
friend who had suddenly died. Brandon and
Lauren were married in 2012.
Lauren wears many hats in the business as
the brand gets established in the marketplace.
She works on brand partnerships, manages
social media engagement sites, handles advertising,
customer service, and even ships
the product out to customers.
She said that while she “always wanted
to be a stay-at-home Mom,” returning to the
workforce has been “refreshing,” allowing
her to utilize her sales and marketing skills
without leaving the house. Working on the
product launch, “reminded me that I was
smart,” she said.
“I am so thankful,” she said, noting how
she can utilize her entrepreneurial skills while
being constantly present for her children
during their formative years.
The Stuarts have invested their own money
in the product and may look down the road
at expanding the potential uses of the bokee.
Lauren said that she had been contacted by
people in the occupational therapy field who
see applications for the bokee for stroke
victims, people with arthritis, and those living
with impacted motor functions. She said
that the first production run of the product
contained some flaws which did not allow
them to go straight to the marketplace, so
the Stuart’s donated more than 500 units to
the Amputee Coalition.
Said Lauren of the bokee venture, “If we
make money, great, but we want to (just)
help people, help parents.” •
Elodie, Lauren, Brandon and Owen Stuart