The Woodmans (2010)

94% of critics liked it
(18 reviews)
75% of users liked it
(758 ratings)

Francesca Woodman's haunting B&W images, many of them nude self-portraits, now reside in the pantheon of great photography from the late 20th century. The daughter of artists Betty and Charles Woodman (she a ceramicist and he a painter/ photographer), Francesca was a precocious RISD graduate, who… More Francesca Woodman's haunting B&W images, many of them nude self-portraits, now reside in the pantheon of great photography from the late 20th century. The daughter of artists Betty and Charles Woodman (she a ceramicist and he a painter/ photographer), Francesca was a precocious RISD graduate, who came to New York with the intention of setting the art world on fire. But in 1981, as a despondent 22-year-old, she committed suicide. THE WOODMANS beautifully interweaves the young artist's work (including experimental videos and diary passages) with interviews with the parents who have nurtured her professional reputation these past 30 years, while continuing to make art of their own in the face of tragedy. The film grapples with disturbing issues, among them: parent-child competition and the toxic level of ambition that fuels the New York art scene. Says Betty Woodman succinctly: "She's the famous artist and we're the famous artist's family." -- (C) Lorber

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 22 min.
Directed By: C. Scott Willis
Genres: Documentary, Special Interest

In Theaters: Jan 19, 2011 Limited
On DVD: Jun 5, 2012
Studio: Lorber Films

Critic Reviews

Walter V. Addiego, San Francisco Chronicle
It's impossible to listen to Francesca's parents, deadly serious about art as a higher calling, without feeling both saddened and disturbed.
Ann Hornaday, Washington Post
The Woodmans tells the compelling, if slightly disturbing, story of a family coming to grips with love, ego, resentment and loss.
V.A. Musetto, New York Post
Willis provides no easy answers and points no fingers, but the search proves fascinating.
Sheri Linden, Hollywood Reporter
An indelible group portrait of a family of artists.
Stephen Holden, New York Times
If its message can be boiled down to one sentence, it is George's stoic observation: "There is a psychic risk in being an artist."
J. Hoberman, Village Voice
A haunting study in family dynamics.
Jim Slotek, Jam! Movies
By the time it ends, however, it has applied enough fine brush strokes to create a subtle and vaguely disturbing portrait of a dysfunctional family of artists.
Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times
Woodman's black-and-white photographs, many of them self-portraits, convey a haunting sense of isolation; of something forever lost from the empty, almost decaying rooms in which she drapes herself.
Armond White, New York Press
Willis' careful balancing act between portraying a unique family unit and the peculiarities of genius winds up making The Woodmans disturbing in an unexpected way.
Diego Costa, Slant Magazine
The Woodmans isn't out to demonize Francesca's upbringing or to play the blame game for her untimely death.
Vadim Rizov, Boxoffice Magazine
A journeyman-like investigation into the life and legacy of photographer Francesca Woodman, C. Scott Willis' The Woodmans is a conventional talking-heads-and-clips documentary.
Chris Cabin, Filmcritic.com
a movie that burrows into questions about how our talents are molded, how artistic promise can lead to crippling loneliness, and the burden of great expectations.
Noel Murray, AV Club
Willis works to turn The Woodmans into an existential mystery, through a soundtrack full of moody vibes, interviews shot in tight close-ups, and the floating words from Francesca's diaries that Willis inserts as a kind of answer from beyond the grave.
Marcy Dermansky, About.com
Though compelling, it is a complicated and difficult experience to watch The Woodmans.
Eric Monder, Film Journal International
Unsettling, evocative tale of an artistic yet dysfunctional family.
Joshua Rothkopf, Time Out New York
Making art is more than a pastime, a hobby or even a career, as shown in the emotional family profile The Woodmans.
Matt Singer, IFC.com
A thought-provoking look at one troubled family of artists and their need to express themselves.
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
This intriguing docu, winner at the 2010 Tribeca Film Fest, offers a poignant look at the haunting art of Francesca Woodman by placing her life and work in the broader contexts of her family (her parents are artists) and NY art world.