Gallery Exhibition June 15th - July 29th

Since he was a child Roman Lapshin has been haunted by a secret his late grandfather revealed to him when he was only 12 years old. A personal disclosure regarding the mysterious and troubling origins of thousands of pieces of missing artwork his grandfather had painted over his lifetime. As long as he can remember, Roman has been obsessed with the burden of his grandfather's revelation, convinced that he alone must investigate and expose the murky fate of his grandfather's artwork to redeem his grandfather's name and artistic legacy. But finding the paintings will mean going against the wishes of his entire family - who have been guarding this secret all along. It also means confronting the notorious and powerful man at the centre of this secret whom Roman believes exploited his grandfather when he was a desperate, recent immigrant to a new country. Despite the daunting mission for redemption amidst the pressure from his family to leave the past behind, Roman is determined to relentlessly pursue his undertaking regardless of the collateral damage that his actions could cause. But as his journey unfolds he begins to realize that his quest for justice, and his obsession for vengeance against a man he has believed to be the boogeyman since he was a child, may not lead to the salvation he had hoped to achieve. "Portrayal" follows Roman across 3 continents and 5 countries as he tries to put together the pieces of a missing puzzle and come to terms with a family legacy and his own personal journey of restoration, growth and healing.

"Billie Mintz masterfully composes a high stakes, suspenseful thriller with all the elements of a true crime drama, chasing down the clues to a surprising conclusion"
-Alex Rogalski, HOT DOCS

"This moving and fascinating film about a young man's investigation into his family's unspoken secret unfolds like a taut thriller...
A powerful humantale about the meaning of family, legacy, authorship, and the porous nature of truth."
-JJFF Jury