Pushing boundaries on opioids

This is a documentary told through, art, emotion, and passion; standing up for change and uniting people in the midst of the opioid crisis in the US. Decades of political history are captured through the photography, career and life of renowned Artist Nan Goldin.

Each chapter of the documentary is presented as a slide show combining Goldin's narration over visual artistry, video and cinematography. Tragic circumstances and consequences unfold for the viewer: of addiction, pain and stigma associated with opioids. We get an authentic insight into Goldin's life, intimacy, abuse, bravery, and power struggles. Through her advocacy around AIDS, she is relentless in her calls for action.

The opioid crisis in the US is well documented, with an increase in prescribing of opioids for the management of pain over the past 30 years and the introduction of OxyContin in the mid 1990s. This is captured in the documentary through Goldin's own battle with her addiction after being introduced to OxyContin. The physical pain, psychological trauma and challenges that Goldin suffers as a result contribute to her action to hold the Sackler Family and Purdue Pharma accountable through exposing the financial contributions to the Arts, across prestigious museums.

The documentary shows the formation of the P.A.I.N. (Prescription Addiction Intervention Now), an organisation which Goldin founded in 2017 to bring together a stronger voice for those who had been impacted by the opioid crisis. These public protests result in performance art in themselves. Her decision to not show her work in museums and hold them accountable achieved a major change across leading museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Guggenheim Museum (USA) the Louvre Museum (Paris) and the Serpentine Gallery (UK).

Director Laura Poitras captures more than a story in this film. It is a collaborative piece which shows the depth of past and present psychological complexities from childhood, the suicide of Goldin's sister, and growing up in a politically sensitive era. Goldin pushed the boundaries through her art and her passion to remain authentic to herself and challenge the controversies surrounding her.

I left the film feeling exposed to a world of meaning and expression, with a drive to change. In the personal stories of parents and people who lost loved ones, I found empowerment and bravery, sadness for the struggles faced, and hope in the unity of people sharing their stories.

Where do go from here? Bringing together biological, psychological and social factors, how do we support clinicians and patients in safe prescribing, and how do we support people in safe opioid reduction?

Reviewed by Harbinder Kaur Sandhu
Professor of Health Psychology at the University of Warwick