The Art Star and the Sudanese Twins

2007

1 hr. 49 min.

Drama

List

86%

7 Reviews

Tomatometer

53%

100+ Ratings

Audience Score

A contemporary white woman's right to adopt from the first world is questioned when artist Vanessa Beecroft tries to adopt orphaned twins.

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Audience Member

If you're into art that pushes the boundaries through uncomfort, this movie's for you. If you're into adoption and saving children in Africa, however, this is the wrong movie to watch. The artist Vanessa Beecroft gives the distinct impression that her art takes precedence over any needful child, even her own. She comes across as a rather spoiled American who pawns her own children off on a nanny while she exploits Sudanese twins for monetary gain, meanwhile ignoring and even offending the culture of these children. It is a movie about what not to do when interested in helping or adopting from Africa. Furthermore, her art was more than just uncomfortable, it was unappealing, a little disturbing and a offensive. I'm very sorry I supported her by watching this movie.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

02/13/23

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Audience Member

A story about a flaky world renowed artist who decides that she should adopt Sudanese twins without the consent of her husband and without a sane though in her head. Absolute crap. Should be listed as a comedy.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/07/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I found this documentary a little vague at times, but one thing was clear: Italian conceptual artist Vanessa Beecroft lives very much in her own world. I will say that this film prompted quite an interesting apres-film discussion! I knew nothing of this woman before, having not much interest in the contemporary art world, but this was a facinating look at a very complex and obsessive personality who has some very disturbing thoughts and justifications for her actions. The photograph of her breast feeding the Sudanese twins in a partly burnt dress is a very striking photo...but maybe also exploitative? I don't know, her obsession to adopt these motherless babies (unsuccessfully, thank god) did not seem out of a genuine attachment or bond to them rather than to have something exotic of her own...or to shock (isnt' that what conceptual art is about anyway?). After pondering the film for a while, I think it was an honest look at how flawed she is and in no way did it glamourize her, rather made her look very bizarre and kooky, flaky and completely out-of-touch-with-reality.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/31/23

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Audience Member

Conceptual artist Vanessa Beecroft consciously confuses the private and the political in her work, as evident in Pietra Brettkelly's excellent documentary. Some very disturbing and controversial scenes were caught on film out there in Sudan. Great editing too.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/29/23

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Audience Member

very fascinating and interesting study on a special human being

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/21/23

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Audience Member

excellent doco. Vanessa is such a flawed person that is fascinating to watch. In some ways she seems so concientious and aware of what is going on around her but when things don't go according to how she imagines they should shes baffled, wondering why the world just doesn't work just for her. Well done Pietra

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/17/23

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Pietra Brettkelly

Director

Greg Durkin

Greg Durkin

Pietra Brettkelly

Screenwriter

Pietra Brettkelly

Producer

Irena Dol

Film Editing

Jacob Bryant

Cinematographer

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Stephen Farber

Hollywood Reporter

Art Star is a provocative undertaking with a fascinating cast of characters, but it leaves us seeking answers that the filmmaker refuses to provide.

Aug 18, 2016

Full Review

Peter Debruge

Variety

Not a straightforward artist's profile, political commentary or domestic drama, but a poetic fusion of the three.

Apr 4, 2011

Full Review

Rick Groen

Globe and Mail

There's something about Beecroft, with her softly whispering voice and her pre-Raphaelite air, that keeps bringing us back and drawing us in.

Rated: 3/4

Mar 20, 2009

Full Review

Susan G. Cole

NOW Toronto

[A] dizzying and dazzling meditation on art, inequality and responsibility.

Rated: 5/5

Aug 18, 2016

Full Review

Janet Smith

Georgia Straight

By the time the circus ends, there is a kind of resolution, a sense of enlightenment after the madness -- and a message that throws the celebrity-adoption frenzy into a complicated new light.

Apr 4, 2011

Full Review

Amber Wilkinson

Eye for Film

Not long into this documentary, you begin to think in double punctuation marks, namely ?!

Rated: 4/5

Apr 4, 2011

Full Review

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Synopsis

A contemporary white woman's right to adopt from the first world is questioned when artist Vanessa Beecroft tries to adopt orphaned twins.

Director: Pietra Brettkelly
Screenwriter: Pietra Brettkelly
Genre: Drama
Original Language: English (Australia)
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 14, 2014

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