
If you owned a Picasso, you'd notice if it went missing right? Think again. When Pablo Picasso's Weeping Woman simply vanished from the walls of The National Gallery of Victoria in 1986, what ensued was a true crime sensation that played out in the daily headlines, as thieves openly taunted authorities with a series of bizarre ransom notes. Fingers were pointed, mud was thrown, and suspects were interviewed and discarded - but that's only the beginning.
In a four-part SBS documentary event, FRAMED follows Walkley award-winning journalist and The Feed's Marc Fennell in a series of twists and turns like no other, as he unpacks the who, how, and why of this infamous heist. But what he finds behind the many (many) ransom notes and rumours is a deeply affecting story. Although it begins with the theft of Australia's most expensive painting, you can't put a price on what it stole from those closest to the case.
In the 80s, Melbournes modern arts scene was raging, and on a collision course with the old school sensibilities of The National Gallery of Victoria. More commonly referred to as the NGV, the top tier institution was in desperate need of a facelift to drive more patrons through its doors. The answer? A Picasso. The grieving woman painted in acidic green and purple, titled Weeping Woman, was considered a 20th century masterpiece by the gallery, but the Victorian public had trouble looking past the eye watering $2 million AUD price tag. Not only was this the highest sum any Australian gallery had paid for any artwork in this country, but it was also completely uninsured.
This divisive purchase became the talk of the town, and it's a conversation that continues today. The director of the NGV at the time, Patrick McCaughey said, This painting will haunt Melbourne for the next 100 years.1 He was soon to learn how right he was.
The media was the first to alert the NGV of the painting's disappearance, having received cryptic, taunting letters from a group calling itself Australian Cultural Terrorists'. What's more, the painting was missing from the gallery's second floor for two days before anyone realised.
The thieves held the NGV and state government to ransom. Dozens of forgeries of the painting magically appeared from Sydney to Adelaide. There were even accusations that it was an inside job. Was it a forgers plot, a political act, or just a joke gone wrong?
Marc Fennell transports viewers back to where it all started, with first-hand accounts from the people who were there at the time and experts in the field, including journalist Virginia Trioli, chief conservator of the NGV from 1984-2006 Thomas Dixon, cultural critic and arts journalist Ashley Crawford, artist and activist Gabrielle de Vietri, journalist Margaret Simon, former detective sergeant Bob Quigley, and more. The story uncovers a network of friends and enemies who have spent decades trading in half-truths and speculation to settle scores and crush rivals.
There are many theories surrounding exactly who stole the painting, but is the theft of the Weeping Woman the true legacy of this crime, or was the fallout something far greater?
Marc Fennell said: Art crimes don't come much stranger than this. There is a community here that has been keeping this a secret for more than 35 years. It's an essential part of Melbourne's mythology, but it also had a powerful domino effect on innocent people. This crime left a trail of ruined reputations, careers, and lives all the way to the United States and beyond. There's a very human story here that deserves to be told. FRAMED will be available to stream on SBS On Demand with subtitles in Simplified Chinese and Arabic.
The series is produced by The Feed, the award-winning SBS current affairs program.
Stream all four episodes of FRAMED on Sunday 26 December 2021 in one bingeable Boxing Day hit, exclusively on SBS On Demand.
Join the conversation on social #FramedSBS
Preview screeners and images available via the SBS Screening Room.
For the PDF version of this Media Release, please click here.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
09/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
09/04/2026
New Charging, Connectivity, and Mounting Solutions Now Available
LAS VEGAS, APRIL 8, 2026 Pliant Technologies will highlight a range of new accessories at th...
09/04/2026
As live production continues its shift to IP, the challenge is no longer adoption it's reliability. At NAB Show 2026 (Booth W2033), Media Links will demon...
09/04/2026
QuickLink, a leading provider of award-winning video production and remote guest contribution solutions, launches its new AI-powered add-on for its StudioPro p...
09/04/2026
The Hive Group has published a new white paper, No Safe Harbor: Why the FCC's Upper C-Band Auction Demands Early Action from Broadcasters ahead of NAB Sho...
09/04/2026
Saranyu Technologies today announced the renewal of its Optimizer VoD subscription with VisualOn. The announcement coincides with NAB Show 2026, taking place Ap...
09/04/2026
New technique for synthesizing branched molecules could accelerate the development of future medicines Scripps Research chemists solve a longstanding problem in...
08/04/2026
The deadline to enter the 18th Annual SVG College Sports Media Awards in association with NACDA is rapidly approaching! Submit your entries to this year's c...
08/04/2026
The Pittsburgh product helps lead more than 100 annual ESPN broadcasts as part o...
08/04/2026
Dynamic ad insertion, AI-based technologies, programmatic advertising are some o...
08/04/2026
Seven Fellows Selected for Second Year of Residency in Honor of Social Justice L...
08/04/2026
On March 7, Bad Bunny made history with his first-ever performance in Asia, taki...
08/04/2026
El 7 de marzo, Bad Bunny hizo historia con su primera presentaci n en Asia, subi...
08/04/2026
New channel strip plug-in revealed
The latest plug-in to be added to the Fuse Audio Labs line-up emulates a selection of vintage hardware units, combining c...
08/04/2026
Guitar & bass multi-effects software overhauled
Blue Cat Audio's flagship guitar and bass multi-effects software has recently received a significant upd...
08/04/2026
PanNoir mixer integration, Dolby Atmos Renderer & more
Merging Technologies have just launched Pyramix 16, the latest major update to their renowned DAW sof...
08/04/2026
Applicable Products Part number Description
QUARTZ-22-LTE (EU) Dual Port Dual SIM LTE Router (EU)
QUARTZ-COMPACT-11-LTE (EU) Single Port Compact LTE ...
08/04/2026
The September 19, 2025 YEP Newsletter highlights a group visit to the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, where participants explored exhibits showcasing the art...
08/04/2026
The L3Harris HBTSS satellite is proven on orbit, successfully demonstrating trac...
08/04/2026
Image Credit: NASA. Artist rendering of a space communications satellite in orbit, representative of the resilient, multiband infrastructure supporting mission ...
08/04/2026
Latest evaluation validates image quality, Inertial Navigation System performance and long-range tracking in operational flight conditions....
08/04/2026
New Gracenote study finds behavioral change well underway, but trust in AI-gener...
08/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/04/2026
Integration eliminates ingest bottlenecks by ensuring content is immediately usable across cloud and hybrid editorial workflows. See it at NAB 2026.
Nevada Cit...
08/04/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the commercial availability of Dalia, its media-aware, agentic AI...
08/04/2026
Leading video software provider Synamedia today announced Senza Ignite, a cloud-based platform that transforms existing connected devices through a single firmw...
08/04/2026
Modernised architecture increases operational control and agility, while reducing cost and simplifying nationwide media transport across affiliates and news bur...
08/04/2026
Company to Feature DMX Dual Relay, High-Density 48-Channel Relay Panels, and New Private Label Power Program
LynTec, a leading manufacturer of innovative ele...
08/04/2026
Broadcasting Center Europe (BCE), a European media technology and services partner, today announces a technology partnership with BCNEXXT, a Netherlands-based c...
08/04/2026
Encompass Digital Media today announced the expansion of its Master Control Room (MCR) facility in Riga, Latvia, establishing it as one of the most advanced and...
08/04/2026
Leading video solutions provider Synamedia is back at The 2026 NAB Show with innovations that connect tomorrows audiences today. On display will be a range of t...
08/04/2026
COW Jobs: Director Needed for WWII Indie Docudrama
Brie Clayton April 8, 2026
0 Comments
Director Needed for WWII Indie Docudrama
March 17, 2026COW ...
08/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/04/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/04/2026
Marshall Electronics introduces its latest POV camera with the new CV376 Compact NDI |HX3 HDMI POV Camera at NAB 2026 (Booth C8339). Designed for versatile 4K c...