Marina Abramovic: The Artist Is Present (2012)
93%RT Audience Score: 88%
Awards & Nominations: 6 wins & 9 nominations
Marina Abramovic: The Artist Is Present is a captivating documentary that delves into the life and work of one of the most boundary-pushing artists of our time. The film not only provides an overview of Abramovic’s career but also takes a closer look at her show at MoMA, where she sat still in a chair for 2 1/2 months as visitors queued up to sit across from her and look into her eyes. The effect of this encounter is incredibly moving, and the documentary does an excellent job of capturing the emotion and intensity of the experience. While some critics may argue that the film could have been more radical in its approach, it is undeniable that Abramovic’s personality and intelligence are truly riveting, making this documentary a must-see for anyone interested in contemporary art.
Marina Abramovic: The Artist Is Present” is like watching a magician at work, but instead of pulling rabbits out of hats, she’s pulling emotions out of people. The documentary captures the essence of Abramovic’s art and her ability to connect with her audience in a way that is both intimate and profound. It’s a must-see for anyone who wants to experience the power of art and human connection. Plus, who doesn’t love a good staring contest?
Production Company(ies)
Charles Chaplin Productions,
Distributor
NA
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
Museum of Modern Art, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Not Rated
Year of Release
2012
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Color:Color
Black and White -
Sound mix:Stereo
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Aspect ratio:1.78 : 1
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Runtime:NA
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Streaming): Oct 16, 2012
Genre(s)
Documentary/Biography
Keyword(s)
documentary, biography, Marina Abramovic, David Blaine, James Franco, Rushka Bergman, Orlando Bloom, Ingrid Sischy, directed by Matthew Akers, written by Matthew Akers, produced by Maro Chermayeff, Jeff Dupre, reviewed by Sophie Monks Kaufman, Sebastian Smee, Stanley Kauffmann, Tim Robey, Walter V Addiego, Donald Clarke, Jack Fleischer, Sophia Satchell Baeza, Isabel Stevens, Glenn Dunks, Robin Clifford, Laura Clifford, genre, box office performance, budget, MPAA rating, Museum of Modern Art, retrospective, performance art, art, New York, sound mix, stereo, audience score, Tomatometer, critic reviews, audience reviews, featured reviews, horror movies, Netflix series, MCU movies, TV shows, streaming, TV premiere dates, careers, newsletter, Fandango
Worldwide gross: $156,695
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $202,015
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,931
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 22,030
US/Canada gross: $86,637
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $111,695
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,652
US/Canada opening weekend: $11,041
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $14,234
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,615
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
David Blaine – self
James Franco – self
Rushka Bergman – self
Orlando Bloom – self
Ingrid Sischy – self
Matthew Akers – director
Maro Chermayeff – producer
Jeff Dupre – producer
Director(s)
Matthew Akers
Writer(s)
NA
Producer(s)
Maro Chermayeff, Jeff Dupre
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
6 wins & 9 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (47) | Top Critics (27) | Fresh (45) | Rotten (2)
January 22, 2013 | Rating: 5/5
Sophie Monks Kaufman
Eye for Film
TOP CRITIC
“She’s never not performing,” says one friend. And the documentary, “Marina Abramovic: The Artist Is Present,” confirms it.
September 6, 2012 | Rating: 3/4
Sebastian Smee
Boston Globe
TOP CRITIC
Briskly edited and brightly shot.
August 8, 2012
Stanley Kauffmann
The New Republic
TOP CRITIC
Beginning as an overview of her career, this fascinating doc closes in on the show and its many revealing encounters, asking us to consider face-to-face engagement as a way of dissolving the barriers between an artist and her public.
July 6, 2012 | Rating: 4/5
Tim Robey
Daily Telegraph (UK)
TOP CRITIC
In place of evenhandedness, the film gives us a full sense of a personality and intelligence so riveting that we begin to comprehend why all those hundreds of thousands lined up at the MoMA.
July 6, 2012 | Rating: 3/4
Walter V. Addiego
San Francisco Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
Thanks largely to the engaging nature of its protagonist, Marina Abramovic: The Artist Is Present stands up as one of the most diverting documentaries to hit the big screen this year.
July 6, 2012 | Rating: 4/5
Donald Clarke
Irish Times
TOP CRITIC
This film is about how and why her fans and colleagues have fallen in love with her – and maybe just by understanding that, I too have fallen a little bit in love.
March 24, 2021
Jack Fleischer
Battleship Pretension
A creative film with a fascinating central subject. However, for someone of such a boundary-pushing background as Abramović, the film would have better suited her with a more radical framework.
January 26, 2019 | Rating: 4/5
Sophia Satchell Baeza
CineVue
This insightful, rather than uncritical, documentary justifies its place on the big screen.
August 27, 2018 | Rating: 3/5
Isabel Stevens
ViewLondon
It’s a shame that the people who really need to see Matthew Akers’ transfixing debut documentary, Marina Abramović: The Artist is Present, won’t go near it.
September 8, 2013
Glenn Dunks
Trespass
Like any good documentary, “”The Artist Is Present” gives insight into the life and work of a truly talented lady. Her works may not be for all tastes she but obviously has an audience if MoMA is any indication.
August 29, 2012 | Rating: B+
Robin Clifford
Reeling Reviews
…for the 2 1/2 month run of the [MoMA] show, Marina would sit completely still in a chair as visitors cued up to sit across from her and look into her eyes. The effect is incredibly and unexpectedly moving.
August 29, 2012 | Rating: A-
Laura Clifford
Reeling Reviews…
Plot
Marina Abramovic: The Artist Is Present follows performance artist Marina Abramovic as she prepares for a retrospective of her work at the Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Marina Abramović is a performance artist and the central figure of the documentary.
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