Quartile rating: 6/10 · 1 rating
NUDE explores perceptions of nudity in art by chronicling the creative process of photographer David Bellemere as he's commissioned by NU Muses founder Steve Shaw to shoot a fine art calendar of nude photographs.
A documentary about nude fine art photography, NUDE benefits from exceptional cinematography that captures both the artistic process and the finished work with real visual distinction. The behind-the-scenes look at Bellemere's creative process gives the film a compelling subject, though the narrative structure is fairly straightforward and the documentary format doesn't push any formal boundaries. The 'acting' dimension (interview subjects and participants) is uneven, with some subjects more compelling on camera than others. The ending feels inconclusive, wrapping up without much emotional or thematic resolution. Overall a visually strong but narratively modest work.