Nan Goldin has never just been a photographer; she’s a storyteller, an activist, and a force for justice. The documentary about her, All the Beauty and the Bloodshed, directed by Laura Poitras, is an unmissable masterpiece for anyone who cares about photography, art, or the power of images to change the world.
The film, released in 2022, weaves Nan Goldin’s deeply personal and professional history with her relentless fight against the Sackler family, whose fortune – built on the opioid crisis – once funded some of the world’s most prestigious museums. Through intimate archive material and her own spoken account, Goldin narrates pivotal life events: the tragic loss of her sister, the underground LGBTQ+ scene of the '70s and '80s, the raw nature of her work, and how she turned pain into protest.
It’s a portrait of an artist who never separates life from art, showing that photography can be more than a means of expression but a powerful weapon against injustice.
ABOVE: Watch the trailer for the Nan Goldin documentary
A key element of Goldin’s practice is her use of slideshows, a medium not often employed yet pioneered by her to craft immersive and deeply personal narratives. Her iconic slideshow, The Ballad of Sexual Dependency, is an early example of how sequencing images with music can create a deeper emotional and cinematic experience – an approach that carries over into the documentary itself.
What struck me most is how Nan Goldin uses photography to document the world around her, no matter how raw. Her images, often incredibly intimate, remind us that photography isn’t about perfection, it’s about observing truth. This film reinforces the idea that a photographer’s role is to see, to feel and, in some cases, to fight. For any photographer, All the Beauty and the Bloodshed is a masterclass in commitment, not just to craft, but to life itself.
Whether you’re a documentary photographer, a street shooter, or just someone who loves visual storytelling, this film will leave you inspired. You can watch All the Beauty and the Bloodshed on HBO Max in the US, BBC iPlayer in the UK, and on various streaming platforms worldwide. Don’t miss it!
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Check out more photography movies in our articles: 29 best movies about real photographers and I plan to stream these 3 movies about photography over the holidays, and you should too.
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