All the Beauty and the Bloodshed

All the Beauty and the Bloodshed, the landmark new film by Oscar-winning director Laura Poitras, follows the life of American photographer and activist Nan Goldin. Interweaving her personal story as an artist (through an abundance of archive material) and her path towards activism (especially her fight against the commercialisation of opioids), Laura Poitras presents an ambitious work in search of the essence of this extraordinary personality. Split into five stages of Goldin’s life, spanning more than half a century, the film explores hundreds of photographs and films that provide a remarkable map of the themes and struggles at the heart of the artist’s work: from feminism, LGBTQ communities and the liberation of the body, to sex work, drugs and addiction. A vibrant narrative that rails against the abuses of pharmaceutical companies – both during the AIDS epidemic and the more recent opioids crisis – while painting a radiant and intimate portrait of Nan Goldin. An ode to protest art, political radicalism and freedom. All the Beauty and the Bloodshed was nominated for an Oscar this year in the best documentary category.

Bastien Bento