Filmmaker Paul Bonesteel on the Life and Legacy of George Masa

Paul Bonesteel is a documentary filmmaker and writer whose latest film explores the life and legacy of George Masa, a Japanese immigrant photographer whose work was instrumental in the establishment of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the development of the Appalachian Trail.Based in Asheville, North Carolina, Paul is an Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker whose work explores history, landscape, and the people whose lives quietly shape how we understand both. He has completed more than a dozen feature-length documentaries, with the latest focusing on a subject that has held Paul’s attention for more than two decades.“A Life Reimagined: The George Masa Story” examines the mysteries behind a man whose images helped shape early conservation efforts and the national parks movement in the United States. It begins streaming on PBS on May 1.The film builds on Paul’s earlier work, including his 2003 documentary “The Mystery of George Masa” and the book “George Masa: A Life Reimagined,” which he co-authored with Janet McCue. Together, these projects trace a decades-long effort to better understand a man whose story was, for many years, only partially known.In this episode, Paul discusses the impact of Masa’s photographs; what it took to uncover the missing pieces of Masa’s life story; how a decades-long pursuit evolved from a single documentary into a book and a new film; and what continues to drive his passion for telling stories rooted in place and history.Watch the Documentarygeorgemasa.comBonesteel Filmsbonesteelfilms.comOn the Blue Ridge Theme MusicThe song "Goa" was written by Lyndsay Pruett and performed by the Jon Stickley Trio.