Amalia Ulman, who gained fame in 2014 for her Instagram performance "Excellences and Perfections," is now an accomplished filmmaker. Her second feature, "Magic Farm," starring Chloë Sevigny, follows a crew of American journalists traveling to Argentina to record an episode about a musician, only to encounter locals affected by pesticide pollution. The film is an absurdist satire of American hipsters, continuing Ulman's pivot from visual art to cinema after her debut dark comedy "El Planeta" (2021).
Ulman's transition from the art world to filmmaking highlights her consistent use of social and political commentary woven into superficially light narratives. She discusses leaving her galleries to avoid exploitation, emphasizing a collaborative, trust-based approach to film production. This matters because it underscores a growing trend of visual artists moving into film, bringing critical perspectives on media, gender, and environmental issues to broader audiences.