Director
Matthew Testa
It takes a magician to catch a thief
Stealing Magic
Someone is stealing the secrets behind magicians' greatest tricks and selling them on illicit websites. This feature documentary follows magician Andi Gladwin as he leads an unlikely team of illusionists on an international caper to track down the culprits.
Directed by Matthew Testa and featuring Penn & Teller, the film blends investigation, road-movie momentum, and behind-the-curtain access to show what is at stake when the theft of those secrets threatens an art form built on wonder.
“One of the best films of this year's Tribeca Film Festival.”
Upcoming screening
Gold Coast International Film Festival
Mon October 12, 2026 · 7:00 PM
North Shore Towers Cinema · Q&A with director Matthew Testa
Event details-
Fri October 23, 2026 · 6:00 PM
AFI FEST · Chinese 5, TCL Chinese Theatre, Hollywood
AFI FEST film page
Runtime
88 minutes
Languages
English, Serbian, Arabic, Czech
Featuring
Andi Gladwin, Penn & Teller
For event teams exploring this side of Andi's work, visit his corporate keynotes page.
Featured clip
Watch a scene from the film
Fishbowl Films has shared a first clip from Stealing Magic, giving a closer look at the investigation, the stakes, and the strange world behind the theft of magicians' secrets.
Updates
News
Brief notes on screenings, festival listings, and press coverage.
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October 2, 2026
Thank you, Yellow Springs
Opening night at the Yellow Springs Film Festival was a joy. Thank you to everyone who filled the Foundry Theater for Stealing Magic, the show with David Williamson, and the Q&A afterwards.
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October 1, 2026
Official selection at AFI FEST
Stealing Magic is an official selection of AFI FEST 2026, screening Friday, October 23 at 6:00 PM in Chinese 5 at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. The festival runs October 21–25. Individual tickets go on sale October 3.
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October 1, 2026
Gold Coast International Film Festival
Stealing Magic screens at the Gold Coast International Film Festival on Monday, October 12 at 7:00 PM at North Shore Towers Cinema, followed by a Q&A with director Matthew Testa.
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July 16, 2026
BBC News: one man’s mission to stop pirates stealing magic
Sarah Turnnidge’s BBC News piece follows Andi’s hunt for the people pirating his tricks and selling them online—the story at the heart of Stealing Magic. He talks about why the theft is “dangerous for our future in the creative arts,” the Tribeca premiere, and hoping the film encourages people to speak up in their own industries.
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July 11, 2026
Yellow Springs Film Festival opening night
Stealing Magic is the opening-night feature at the Yellow Springs Film Festival on October 1, with a live show from Andi Gladwin and David Williamson, plus a Q&A with Andi after the film.
From the screenings
Credits
The team
The film brings together documentary filmmakers and magicians who know this world from the inside.
Producers
Ethan Smith, Melanie Miller, Diane Becker, Randy Pitchford
Editor
Aaron Crozier
Cinematographers
Bryan Donnell, Tom Bergmann, Gary Clarke, Jonathan Ingalls
Music
Anna Drubich
Screening archive
Festival run
Past festival screenings
Yellow Springs Film Festival
- Thu October 1, 2026 · 8:00 PM · Foundry Theater, Antioch College
Tribeca Festival
- Fri June 05, 2026 · 5:00 PM · Village East by Angelika Sold out
- Sat June 06, 2026 · 11:45 AM · Village East by Angelika Sold out
- Sun June 07, 2026 · 8:00 PM · AMC 19th St. East 6 Sold out
- Sun June 14, 2026 · 11:45 AM · AMC 19th St. East 6 Sold out
DC/DOX · Washington, DC
- Fri June 12, 2026 · Burke Theatre, US Navy Memorial Sold out
MAGIC Live · Las Vegas
- Sun August 2, 2026 · The Orleans Cinemark · two screenings Attendees only
