"All the Beauty and the Bloodshed" - Nan Goldin (1hr 57 mins)

 


"All the Beauty and the Bloodshed" HBO Documentary, Laura Poitras
(1hr 57 mins)

This weekend I watched the 2022 Documentary about Nan Goldin titled "All the Beauty and the Bloodshed." Produced and directed by Laura Poitras, the film follows the life and work of Nan Goldin, and her activism in the Opioid epidemic. The film is emotional and thought provoking as Nan Goldin shares openly and honestly about her life from childhood through to the present, as well as the struggles faced by many during the AIDS crisis and opioid epidemic. 


Nan Goldin, Buzz and Nan at the Afterhours, New York City, 1980, Silver dye bleach print

Nan Goldin, Nan and Dickie in the York Motel, New Jersey, 1980, silver dye bleach print

Nan Goldin shares in the film about the struggles within her family and with losing her sister to suicide at a young age, and that the most important relationships to her were her friends. As such, her photographs capture the lives, situations, and personalities of herself and her closest friends. She was a part of the queer community and went through struggles with addiction. Her photographs chronicle these experiences, and were not something that the public had seen before in the art world. The photographs shown above are from Nan Goldin's series, The Ballad of Sexual Dependency. This series explores themes of sexuality, manipulation, and power. Nan Goldin talks about the power that men can have over women in abusive relationships, and this series explores the struggle between personal autonomy and sexual dependency on another person. Nan Goldin's photographs captured what life was really like for people living differently than the average middle class person.

PAIN Activists in Louvre, Paris, 2019 (courtesy of Getty Images)

Nan Goldin at a protest put on by PAIN Activists (courtesy of https://www.huckmag.com)

Much of the film focuses on the activism done by the PAIN (Prescription Addiction Intervention Now) group. Nan Goldin created the group as a response to the Opioid epidemic. Nan Goldin shares openly about her own struggles with addiction and prescription pills, and has set out to hold the Sackler family responsible. The Sackler family owns Purdue, the company responsible for the manufacture and selling of Oxycontin. The family willingly lied about their drugs being non-habit forming, contributing to the death of thousands of Americans by overdose. The Sackler family was also heavily involved in the art world and in major art museums, so the PAIN group coordinated demonstrations and protests at many of these museums and public spaces. The group educates the public on what the Sackler family is responsible for and pushes for harm reduction strategies. Nan Goldin also talks about trying to reduce the stigma that the public holds toward addiction and addicted people. The stigma and criminalization of drugs prevents people from receiving treatment and it prevents the public from caring about the issue. This is an issue that is dear to my heart, so it is powerful for me to see Nan Goldin fighting so hard to reduce the stigma and make positive change.

There is so much more about the film that I could write, as the film is packed with so much history, photography, art, facts, and thought provoking stories. As such, I recommend this film to anyone that is interested.

Comments

  1. ElaineApril 27, 2023 at 10:15 AM

    I'm glad you watched and wrote about this film, Madison. It's important and has won awards - much talked about. I still haven't seen it, but your review makes it clear that I must.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Angelina PovioMay 6, 2023 at 8:21 PM

    As a photography major, my classes have talked about Nan Goldin's work often, and she is one of my favorite photographers. I wish I could see the documentary but I don't have HBO Max. Thank you for your review of it!

    ReplyDelete
  3. amanda tuyenMay 12, 2023 at 1:41 PM

    Thank you for sharing your thoughts and insights on the documentary "All the Beauty and the Bloodshed" about Nan Goldin's life and work. It is clear that the film had a powerful impact on you and raised awareness about the opioid epidemic and the harm it has caused to many people. Nan Goldin's personal experiences with addiction and activism have inspired her to take action and make a positive change. The PAIN group she created is an example of how art can be used to make a difference in society. It is important to reduce the stigma associated with addiction and support harm reduction strategies. I agree that this documentary is thought-provoking and emotional, and I appreciate your recommendation for others to watch it. It is through documentaries like this that we can gain a better understanding of the world we live in and the issues that affect us all.

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