Documentary on activist photographer wins rare top film prize at Venice

VENICE, Sept 10 (Reuters) – “All of the Magnificence and the Bloodshed”, a documentary about U.S. photographer Nan Goldin and her combat in opposition to the rich Sackler household, gained the highest Golden Lion award on the Venice Movie Competition on Saturday.

Made by investigative journalist Laura Poitras, the movie interweaves the exceptional story of Goldin’s life together with her marketing campaign to carry the Sacklers and their pharmaceutical agency accountable for the U.S. opioid disaster.

It’s only the second time within the 79-year historical past of the movie pageant, typically seen as a launch pad for Oscar hopefuls, that the primary prize has gone to a documentary.

The very best actress award went to Australian Cate Blanchett for her efficiency in “TÁR”, whereas the perfect actor award was given to Eire’s Colin Farrell for his half within the tragicomedy “The Banshee Of Inisherin”. learn extra

The runner-up Grand Jury prize went to an intense French courtroom drama “Saint Omer”, by director Alice Diop making her debut in fiction after a string of documentaries.

“All of the Magnificence and the Bloodshed” beat out a string of extra high-profile rivals, together with a quartet of flicks by U.S. streaming big Netflix and well-considered European dramas.

The documentary attracts on a lot of Goldin’s photos from her acclaimed slide present, “The Ballad of Sexual Dependency”, which documented New York subcultures from 1979-1986.

However Goldin says her profession virtually got here to an finish in 2014 when she obtained hooked on the OxyContin painkiller, made by the Sackler’s Purdue Pharma, which was given after an operation.

Purdue Pharma allegedly downplayed the habit dangers of OxyContin, serving to to gasoline a healthcare disaster that has claimed greater than 500,000 opioid overdose deaths over twenty years. It filed for chapter in 2019.

The Sacklers have denied wrongdoing however mentioned in March that they “sincerely remorse” that OxyContin “unexpectedly grew to become a part of an opioid disaster”.

Goldin has fought a years-long battle to get museums to cease taking cash from the household, saying they shouldn’t be allowed to purchase respectability by “poisonous philanthropy”.

“I’ve recognized quite a lot of courageous and brave folks in my life, however I’ve by no means met anybody like Nan, anyone who may determine to tackle the billionaire Sackler household,” director Poitras mentioned as she collected the Golden Lion.

“She goes to the depths of her soul and shares issues with us that most individuals do not share with the folks they’re closest to, not to mention to a public like this.”

JAILED IRANIAN HONOURED

Saturday’s ceremony wrapped up the 11-day film marathon, which drew an array of stars to the Venice pink carpet – together with Timothee Chalamet, Ana de Armas, Sadie Sink, Harry Kinds, Florence Pugh, Penelope Cruz and Christoph Waltz.

Amongst different prizes handed out had been a particular Jury’s Award for “No Bears”, by Iranian director Jafar Panahi, who’s serving a six-year jail time period again house. learn extra

Greatest director went to Italy’s Luca Guadagnino for his cannibal love story “Bones and All”, and its younger star Taylor Russell obtained the award for the perfect rising actor or actress. learn extra

Greatest screenplay went to Martin McDonagh, for “The Banshee Of Inisherin”, which he additionally directed. He gained the identical recognition in Venice for his 2017 function “Three Billboards Exterior Ebbing, Missouri”.

Reporting by Roberto Mignucci and Crispian Balmer
Enhancing by Christina Fincher and Andrew Heavens

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