The Woodmans

Name: The Woodmans
Genre: Biography, Documentary
Released: January 19, 2011
Duration: 82 min
Rating: 74

2011

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Generally favorable reviews based on 9 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 7 Ratings

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7.3

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7.3	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 7 Ratings

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Movie Details & Credits

Lorber Films | Release Date: January 19, 2011 | Unrated

Summary: A fascinating, unflinching portrait of the late photographer Francesca Woodman, told through the young artist’s work (including experimental videos and journal entries) and remarkably candid interviews with her artist parents Betty and Charles (a ceramic sculptor and painter/photographer), who have continued their own artistic practicesA fascinating, unflinching portrait of the late photographer Francesca Woodman, told through the young artist’s work (including experimental videos and journal entries) and remarkably candid interviews with her artist parents Betty and Charles (a ceramic sculptor and painter/photographer), who have continued their own artistic practices while watching Francesca’s professional reputation eclipse their own. (Lorber Films)… Expand

Director: Scott Willis

Genre(s): Biography, Documentary

Rating: Unrated

Runtime: 82 min

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Critic Reviews

Stephen Holden

Jan 18, 2011

Family dynamics examined through the prism of art: The Woodmans, C. Scott Willis's compelling documentary study of an artistic clan whose comfortable life was shattered by the suicide of its youngest member, asks profound questions to which there really are no answers. Read full review

J. Hoberman

Jan 18, 2011

Ultimately, The Woodmans is a haunting study in family dynamics. Read full review

Sheri Linden

Jan 21, 2011

As frank, discerning and eloquent as its subjects, The Woodmans is one of the most affecting art-themed documentaries. Read full review

Noel Murray

Jan 20, 2011

Intentionally or unintentionally, there's a degree of accusation to The Woodmans that's discomfiting, almost as if Willis is indicting Francesca's parents for being so self-involved-even though they're just answering his questions as honestly as they can. Read full review

V.A. Musetto

Jan 21, 2011

Directed by C. Scott Willis, this beautifully shot documentary blends Francesca's work -- photos, videos and passages from her diary -- with interviews. Read full review

Joe Neumaier

Jan 21, 2011

What emerges is a portrait of the "psychic risk," as her father says, of living a creative life - and the intense feeling that entails. Read full review

Boxoffice Magazine Vadim Rizov

Jan 22, 2011

For all the interviewees who tearfully speak of her work, the film does anything but. Read full review

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User Reviews

RONGIU

Nov 2, 2011

Sorry, English translation mechanics.

Intra Moenia Sorry, English translation mechanics. What happened inside the building body of Francesca? Why has come to an act so extreme and I understand reasoned? What he wanted to communicate to permanently excluding a priori the black and whiteSorry, English translation mechanics.

Intra Moenia Sorry, English translation mechanics. What happened inside the building body of Francesca? Why has come to an act so extreme and I understand reasoned? What he wanted to communicate to permanently excluding a priori the black and white using only the bright red of his blood? It 'hard to answer, and the documentary certainly does not help us. Not helpful, since the testimony of a mother and a father, but humanly large artistically limited, do not hold pace with the speed of his thought and his action. At first glance, the photos of Francesca evoke sadness and melancholy. Not so in hindsight. His nudes are nude researcher and not a spectator. I like to think of a girl who appears naked in the study, I, understand and then giving. There is definitely someone in the life of Francesca, who did not want to accept this gift. There is definitely someone who has not been able to lend a hand. And 'negligence? Certainly not. It is not easy to keep up with minds that are able to cross the boundaries of the present, with the same moment. It is not easy for anyone. Her, we are left with images, so many. And it is there, chances are that you must try to understand a soul who has donated so much of love. Good Click! ITALIAN VERSION Intra moenia. Cosa Ã¨ avvenuto all'interno dell'edificio corporeo di Francesca? PerchÃ© Ã¨ giunta ad un atto cosÃ¬ estremo e mi par di capire ragionato? Cosa ha voluto comunicarci in modo definitivo, escludendo a priori il bianco ed il nero utilizzando solo il rosso vivo del suo sangue? E' difficile dare una risposta, ed il documentario certo non ci aiuta. Non ci aiuta perchÃ© anche le testimonianze di una mamma e di un papÃ , artisticamente grandi ma umanamente limitati, non reggono il passo con la velocitÃ del suo pensiero e del suo agire. A prima vista le foto di Francesca evocano tristezza, melanconia. Non Ã¨ cosÃ¬ a ben vedere. I suoi nudi, sono nudi da ricercatrice e non da spettatrice. Mi piace pensare ad un ragazza che nel nudo sembra studiarsi, cercarsi, capirsi per poi donarsi. C'Ã¨ sicuramente qualcuno, nella vita di Francesca, che questo dono non ha voluto accettarlo. C'Ã¨ sicuramente qualcuno che non ha saputo tenderle una mano. E' colpa grave? Certamente, no. Non Ã¨ facile star dietro a menti che riescono a valicare i confini dell'attimo presente, con lo stesso attimo. Non Ã¨ facile per nessuno. Di lei, ci restano le immagini, tante. Ed Ã¨ lÃ¬, probabilmente che bisogna cercare, per capire un'anima che di Amore ne ha donato tanto. Good Click!… Expand

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Michaelnj

Jan 20, 2011

I respect this Movie. I respect this Movie. I respect this Movie. I respect this Movie. I respect this Movie. I respect this Movie. I respect this Movie. I respect this Movie. I respect this Movie. I respect this Movie. I respect this Movie. I respect this Movie.

0 of 3 users found this helpful03

Trailesque

Nov 19, 2020

This is a film about a very talented family of artists, with the focus on Francesca Woodman, a young photographer who committed suicide. Her parents, George and Betty, were passed their interests and work ethic on to their children. The areas they focused on were different, however. BettyThis is a film about a very talented family of artists, with the focus on Francesca Woodman, a young photographer who committed suicide. Her parents, George and Betty, were passed their interests and work ethic on to their children. The areas they focused on were different, however. Betty did ceramics and painting, and achieved a high level of popularity. Son Charles does electronic art, and father George is presented as a mostly unsuccessful painter, which is misleading, because this Harvard grad was a professor at the University of Colorado in addition to his creative work. The most intense member of the family was young Francesca, who made stunning black and white photos, mostly of her nude self in strange positions, and contrasted with fabrics and textured surfaces. She suffered from what sounds like bipolar disorder (her diagnosis was not mentioned) and committed suicide at age 22. She never got to see how popular and respected her work became. This tragedy is the heart of the movie, and you can see how it impacted her parents--her father in particular seemed to feel it the most, he is often uncomfortable while being interviewed. There are also interviews with interesting friends of the family that fill out the portrait.… Expand

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