All the Beauty and the Bloodshed

*All the Beauty and the Bloodshed* is a powerful documentary that chronicles the life and relentless activism of renowned photographer Nan Goldin. The film masterfully interweaves Goldin’s harrowing personal history with her high-stakes public campaign against the Sackler family, the owners of Purdue Pharma. As Goldin battles her own struggle with OxyContin addiction, she leads the activist group P.A.I.N. (Prescription Addiction Intervention Now) in a crusade to hold the Sacklers accountable for their role in the opioid crisis. The narrative captures the tension of Goldin’s fight against institutional silence, as she and her fellow activists stage provocative "die-ins" at world-renowned museums like the Guggenheim and the Louvre, demanding the removal of the Sackler name. Simultaneously, the film delves into Goldin’s formative years, exploring her escape from a repressive upbringing into the vibrant, dangerous bohemian art scene of 1970s and 80s New York. Through her iconic photography, Goldin documents the friends she lost to the AIDS epidemic and the domestic abuse she endured, framing her art as a vital survival mechanism. This gripping portrait explores themes of trauma, corporate greed, and the necessity of public protest. It is a profound examination of how one woman uses her lens to bear witness to the truth, challenging the stigma of addiction and the systemic neglect that threatens the lives of the vulnerable.