All the Beauty and the Bloodshed recounts the life of American photographer and activist Nan Goldin, whose work captures the beauty and heartaches of the margins of society. The film originates from the death of her sister who rebelled against the constrictions of society by committing suicide. It further chronicles Goldin’s turbulent childhood and her efforts in holding the billionaire Sackler family responsible for the opioid crisis as a pharmaceutical giant by targeting their philanthropy at prestigious art institutions. Documentary filmmaker Laura Poitras, director of Citizenfour, brings forth an interconnected piece on Goldin and her close circles of friends and peers besides her success in photo-documenting New York’s queer culture and people with AIDS. The film won the Golden Lion for best film at the 79th Venice International Film Festival.

The screening on 5 April will be followed by a post-screening talk with veteran film critic, journalist, and curator Clarence Tsui and M+ Deputy Director, Curatorial, and Chief Curator Doryun Chong. They will converse on Goldin’s work and this film’s exploration on issues in art and politics, and museum-related philanthropies. The talk will be held in English.

Laura Poitras (b. 1964, United States) is a director and producer of documentary films. After exploring a career as a chef, she studied at the San Franscisco Art Institute with experimental filmmakers Ernie Gehr and Janis Crystal Lipzin. She moved to New York in 1992 to pursue filmmaking. Poitras has received several awards, including the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature for Citizenfour (2014), a documentary about Edward Snowden. She is also known for My Country, My Country (2006), and Risk (2016).