Goldin doc captures both ‘Beauty’ and ‘Bloodshed’

Laura Poitras produced and directed Oscar-nominated documentary

By JOHN PAUL KING

As the yearly Hollywood awards cycle heads into its final weeks before culminating with the Oscars on March 12, most of the public attention is — as always — focused on the movies in the so-called “major” categories, while the ones in the others are, if not completely overlooked, placed lower on the priority list for film fans looking to catch up on all the nominees before the big night.

As the shrewdest fans know, of course, some of the best filmmaking often goes unsung because it happens in the kind of films that win awards in categories deemed irrelevant by most of the people in the mainstream. Unfortunately, that description most frequently seems to apply to documentaries — and this year, a standout among the crop of potential Oscar winners comes from within that eternally underappreciated genre.

Nominated for Best Documentary Feature, producer/director Laura Poitras’ “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed” is a movie that tells two stories. In part, it’s a chronicle of the remarkable personal history of photographer and artist Nan Goldin, who rose to prominence in the “respectable” art world through the images that she took of herself and her friends — often in candidly intimate situations — in the post-Stonewall queer underground of ‘70s and ‘80s lower Manhattan; told in Goldin’s voice and through her own vast archive of images, it charts her life and career from emotionally traumatic childhood to esteemed artist, while reminding us that she was as much a participant in the heady lifestyle she documented as she was a witness.

While Goldin’s life and career would be more than ample as the singular focus of a documentary, though, Poitras’ movie has an even bigger purpose in mind. In service of that goal, it interweaves its subject’s personal narrative around the saga of P.A.I.N. (Prescription Addiction Intervention Now) — an organization she founded in 2017 after revealing she was in recovery from an addiction to prescribed opioids which almost led to her death from an overdose of fentanyl — and its high-profile protest campaign against the Sackler family, a billionaire pharmaceutical dynasty known internationally for its generous art patronage, who through its company Purdue Pharma were principle architects of America’s staggering opioid crisis. Moving back and forth between these two threads throughout the film, Poitras frames Goldin’s struggle to hold the Sacklers accountable within the context of the formative life experiences that shaped her into an activist, while making sure to give her subject due acknowledgment for the then-shocking celebration of queer life and sexuality in her work at a time when such things were still seen through the cold filter of anthropological distance or simply being denounced outright for violating social taboos.

As to that, many viewers will undoubtedly be drawn to “Bloodshed” by the prospect of revisiting the fabled era of Goldin’s early heyday through her up-close-and-personal pictures and footage, and they will not be disappointed. The film includes plenty of both, illuminated by the artist as she recounts the memories behind them; it offers poignant glimpses at a few future icons and fallen stars (lost-but-not-forgotten queer icons from her circle, like Cookie Mueller and David Wojnarowicz, are among those lovingly profiled by Goldin as she narrates her reminiscences), gives us an inside look at a seminal time and place in counterculture history, tantalizes us with provocative images of a sexually liberated lifestyle and throws us into the front lines of AIDS activism and the political battle over government funding of the NEA. For those more interested in direct biography, there is also copious material on Goldin’s personal life. These sequences cover her memories of a dysfunctional childhood growing up with an older sister who would later die by suicide, her delinquent youth in and out of foster homes, her battery at the hands of a jealous lover, the horror of watching her community ravaged by AIDS while the rest of the world stood by and watched, and the crushing devastation of her opioid addiction.

Yet while these various parts of Goldin’s story may carry weight of their own, “Bloodshed” ultimately transfers it all into its saga about her effort to exact palpable retribution against the Sacklers — something her position as a world-renowned artist made her uniquely situated to do. Following her organization through a series of brilliantly orchestrated actions in which — borrowing a page from ACT UP — they staged dramatic protests at museums who had taken donations from the disgraced philanthropic dynasty, the movie deploys footage from these events to capture the raw sense of danger experienced within them with the kind of thrilling immediacy unachievable through journalistic observation or dramatic recreation. It’s this Robin Hood-esque story of taking back from the rich and amoral that drives Poitras’ movie and gives it an emotional structure, making it more than just another profile of an influential artist.

That doesn’t mean it relegates Goldin’s work as a photographer into the background. On the contrary, the bulk of the imagery we see comes from Goldin herself; even the footage of the protests was shot by P.A.I.N. for documentary purposes before Poitras had even become involved. Still, the filmmaker deserves full credit for assembling these photos and home movies into a finished product, and while it’s clear that “Bloodshed” is the result of intense collaboration between documentarian and subject, it’s also clear that her understanding of the material and her nuance in presenting it are essential elements in creating the cumulative power— and the surprising sense of urgency — that it delivers.

As for her subject, Goldin’s importance as both an artist and as activist come across plainly, but those were never in doubt. The film’s biggest surprise, perhaps, is the compassion visible at the heart of her activism, manifesting through her desire to use the privilege and influence her art has given her to help balance the scales between the powerful elite and the marginalized masses they exploit — a compassion reflected even in the revelation of her former life as a sex worker, which she discusses publicly for the first time here out of solidarity with other sex workers and to help reduce the stigma around sex work.

While juggling two separate-but-complementary stories might come at the risk of a disjointed focus, “Bloodshed,” thanks to Poitras’ seemingly symbiotic alignment with her subject’s aesthetic and sympathies, manages to weave its dual threads together in a way which not only makes sense, but uses them in concert to convey a fiercely radical worldview — one which resonates deeply in a contemporary social environment not too different from the one in which Goldin and her fellow sexual “outlaws” were flaunting their defiance of repressive, bigoted cultural norms not just in their work but in their everyday lives. Now, as then, a younger generation confronted with unbridled corporate greed and widening economic inequity, not to mention a conservative strategy of reverse cultural engineering through backlash and legislation, has been triggered to reevaluate its priorities.

It’s not surprising. After all, as Goldin says in the film, “When you think of the profit off people’s pain, you can only be furious about it.”

By TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER

Everybody has a story.

The experiences might be similar, but never the same. One person can relate their experiences, someone else can share, and a third person had totally a diff erent viewpoint, even if they were all in the same place at the same time. In “Waterfalls, The Moon and Sensible Shoes” by Jill P. Strachan, you’ll read about “One Lesbian Life.”

For most of her life, Strachan was a child of the world: Her father was a diplomat, and she spent most of her childhood in Pakistan, playing with the children of other diplomats, embassy staff , and workers. Strachan says they “amused themselves” with games they made up, and she liked to write in her diary.

When she was almost 12 years old, she was sent to a boarding school in Virginia, and while it was fun at fi rst, “the shine of being on my own wore off within one month,” she says. Getting along with teachers was not easy; “loneliness, diff erence, and angst” were also issues she had to tackle. She joined the basketball team, learning to her chagrin that the rules of play stateside were diff erent for boys and for girls.

Other things were diff erent, too: She began dating boys and suff ering heartbreak from it – until college, when a younger, “vibrant,” outspoken, brave and brassy girl asked Strachan if she’d ever “’thought about being a Lesbian.”

Strachan says she “sensed danger” and waived the girl away, but by 1974, the two of them were in a relationship that they had to keep hidden, furtively sneaking in and out of one another’s rooms to avoid detection.

“What we were doing was illegal and we, ourselves, were illegal for loving each other,” says Strachan. “To be together, we were forced to be clandestine, but this hardly diminished our individual desires.”

Everybody has a story.

Stepping back six decades or more, author Jill P. Strachan tells hers, through diary entries, letters, and notes. Anecdotal memories also feature strongly in “Waterfalls, The Moon and Sensible Shoes,” giving readers a large sense of what it was like for one woman to come to terms with her sexuality at a time when societal acceptance was nil.

While readers may struggle with the non-linear telling of this life story, Strachan entertains with her tales of travel and of meeting people who would impact her life. She writes of the men and women she loved, including men she helplessly watched die of AIDS; she also writes of the activists she knew, and of the partner she loves now.

“Waterfalls, The Moon and Sensible Shoes” is a widespread book that may be a challenge to follow but Strachan’s experiences can’t be missed. Find this book, because everyone has a story and this one’s fascinating.

Announcement

The difference in winning and losing market share is how businesses use their advertising dollars.

CNPA’s Advertising Services’ power to connect to nearly 13 million of the state’s readers who are an engaged audience, makes our services an indispensable marketing solution. For more info call Cecelia @ (916) 288-6011 or cecelia@ cnpa.com

Switch and save up to $250/year on your talk, text and data. No contract and no hidden fees. Unlimited talk and text with flexible data plans. Premium nationwide coverage. 100% U.S. based customer service. Limited time offer get $50 off on any new account. Use code GIFT50. For more information, call 1-844908-0605

Become a Published Author. We want to Read Your Book! Dorrance Publishing-Trusted by Authors Since 1920. Book manuscript submissions currently being reviewed. Comprehensive Services: Consultation, Production, Promotion and Distribution. Call for Your Free Author`s Guide 1-877-538-9554 or visit http://dorranceinfo.com/ Cali

NEW AUTHORS WANTED! Page Publishing will help you self-publish your own book. FREE author submission kit! Limited offer! Why wait? Call now: 1-855-667-0380

Prepare for power outages today with a GENERAC home standby generator. $0 Money Down + Low Monthly Payment Options. Request a FREE Quote -Call now before the next power outage: 1-844-439-5645

Eliminate gutter cleaning forever! LeafFilter, the most advanced debris-blocking gutter protection. Schedule a FREE LeafFilter estimate today. 15% off Entire Purchase. 10% Senior & Military Discounts. Call 1-855424-7581

AUTOS WANTED

DONATE YOUR CAR TO KIDS Fast Free Pickup – Running or Not - 24 Hour ResponseMaximum Tax Donation – Help Find Missing Kids! Call 1-888-4911453.

DONATE YOUR CAR OR TRUCK TO HERITAGE FOR THE BLIND. Free 3 Day Vacation, Tax Deductible, Free Towing, All Paperwork Taken Care Of. CALL 1-844-491-2884

CABLE / INTERNET/ SATELLITE TV

FREE high speed internet for those that qualify. Government program for recipients of select programs incl. Medicaid, SNAP, Housing Assistance, WIC, Veterans Pension, Survivor Benefits, Lifeline, Tribal. 15 GB internet service. Bonus offer: Android tablet FREE with one-time $20 copay. Free shipping & handling. Call Maxsip Telecom today! 1-855480-0769

Get DIRECTV for $64.99/mo for 12 months with CHOICE Package. Save an additional $120 over 1st year. First 3 months of HBO Max, Cinemax, Showtime, Starz and Epix included! Directv is #1 in Customer Satisfaction (JD Power & Assoc.) Some restrictions apply. Call 1-888-641-5762

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Over $10K in Debt? Be debt free in 24 to 48 months. No upfront fees to enroll. A+ BBB rated. Call National Debt Relief 1-888-231-4274.

INSURANCE

SAVE BIG on HOME INSURANCE! Compare 20 A-rated insurances companies. Get a quote within minutes. Average savings of $444/year! Call 1-844-410-9609!

(M-F 8am-8pm Central)

REAL ESTATE/ LOANS

RETIRED COUPLE $1 MIL for business purpose Real Estate loans. Credit unimportant. V.I.P. Trust Deed Company www.viploan.com

Call 1-818-248-0000

Broker-principal DRE 01041073. No Consumer Loans.

WANTED TO BUY

TOP CA$H PAID FOR OLD GUITARS!

1920-1980 Gibson, Martin, Fender, Gretsch, Epiphone, Guild, Mosrite, Rickenbacker, Prairie State, D’Angelico, Stromberg. And Gibson Mandolins / Banjos. 1-844-9101960.

DID YOU KNOW

Newspaper-generated content is so valuable it’s taken and repeated, condensed, broadcast, tweeted, discussed, posted, copied, edited, and emailed countless times throughout the day by others? Discover the Power of Newspaper Advertising. For a free brochure call 916-288-6011 or email cecelia@cnpa.com

THIS SPACE CAN BE YOURS! CALL 1-916-288-6011 or email cecelia@ cnpa.com