Pure Nonfiction: Inside Documentary Film

“Mel Brooks: The 99-Year-Old Man” (HBO Max) is the latest collaboration by Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio who previously profiled comedians George Carlin and Gary Shandling. Their latest two-part series looks at the creator of iconic works such as “The Producers,” “Blazing Saddles,” and “Young Frankenstein.” In this interview, Apatow and Bonfiglio describe how they sought to get to layers of Brooks’ life that he hadn’t discussed before.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction@thompowers1

Frontline executive producer Raney Aronson-Rath speaks about leading PBS's current affairs series while President Trump is defunding public television. Instead of shrinking, Frontline is growing with new staff and an invigorated mission. Host Thom Powers interviews Raney a wide on a wide range of projects, including the Sundance prize-winning doc "One in a Million" that follows a family of Syrian refugees for ten years. The new division of Frontline Features will release the film to theaters later this year.Explore the Pure Nonfiction archives to hear interviews on past Frontline productions including "Abacus: Small Enough to Jail" (ep 49), "For Sama" (ep 114), and "20 Days in Mariupol" (ep 169).We wish to thank all our listeners as Pure Nonfiction celebrates its 10th anniversary.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction@thompowers1

Fifteen films are shortlisted for the Oscars Feature Documentary category. On this episode, we hear from four of the directing teams:- "The Alabama Solution" with Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kauffman- "Yanuni" with Richard Ladkani- "My Undesirable Friends Part 1 - Last Air in Moscow" with Julia Loktev- "Cutting Through Rocks" with Sara Khaki and Mohammedreza EyniThese conversations were recorded an online edition of Documentary Spotlight, co-presented by The Ankler.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

"Come See Me in the Good Light" (Apple TV) portrays a love story of the spoken word poets Andrea Gibson and Megan Falley as they make the most of their lives in the face of a terminal cancer diagnosis. The film is joyous, funny and shortlisted for the Oscars' Best Documentary category. Pure Nonfiction host speaks with the director Ryan White and the one of the film's key figures Megan Falley. You can hear producer Jessica Hargrave interviewed on episode 229.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

Director Alexandria Stapleton discusses her Netflix series "Sean Combs: The Reckoning," backed by executive producer Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson. Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviews Stapleton about each episode of the series and the participants who overcame years of fear and intimidation to finally speak out.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction@thompowers1

"Apocalypse in the Tropics" explores the tumultuous battle to save democracy in Brazil. It reveals striking parallels to politics in the United States. Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers speaks with director Petra Costa and producer Alessandra Orofino.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

Host Thom Powers interviews the film teams behind five projects that are qualified for the Oscars:MY MOM JAYNE (director Mariska Hargitay, producer Trish Adlesic, editor J.D. Marlow) exploring the life of Hollywood star Jayne Mansfield through the eyes of her daughter. PUT YOUR SOUL ON YOUR HAND AND WALK (director Sepideh Farsi) profiling the Gaza photographer Fatma Hassona.CHILD OF DUST (director Weronika Mliczewska, producr Bao Nguyen) follows the lifelong dream of a man in Vietnam to meet his father in the U.S.NORITA (director Jayson McNamara, producer Sarah Schoellkopf) tells the history of Argentinian activist Nora Cortiñas.QOTZUÑI: PEOPLE OF THE LAKE (directors Michael Salama, Gastón Zilberman) looks at an indigenous community in Bolivia trying to recover from the disappearance of a massive lake.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

Hear the filmmakers behind four of this year's most acclaimed documentaries: director Tamara Kotevska ("Honeyland") and cinematographer Jean Dakar on "The Tale of Silyan"; first time director Beth Lane on "UnBroken"; co-director Mohammedreza Eyni on "Cutting Through Rocks"; director David Osit and producer Jamie Goncalves on "Predators." These talks were recorded before a live audience in Los Angeles at our Documentary Spotlight event in partnership with The Ankler.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

Recorded live in Los Angeles, we partnered with The Ankler to bring you conversations covering four new documentaries: producer Jessica Hargrave (pictured) on “Come See Me in the Good Light”; director Dan Farah on “The Age of Disclosure”; producer Alisa Payne on “The Perfect Neighbor”; and directors Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman on “The Alabama Solution.”Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

"Songs From the Hole," now playing on Netflix, won the SXSW Audience Award and the Blackstar Jury Prize for its artful approach to telling a story about solitary confinement. "It's eye-opening in a way you may have forgotten your eyes could still be opened," wrote critic Daniel Fienberg in The Hollywood Reporter. Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviews director Contessa Gayles about her career path from working inside CNN to going independent. Her other films include "The Feminist on Cellblock Y" and "The Debutantes."Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction@thompowers1

Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady have been making films as a team for over 20 years. They have a fierce dedication to the art of observational documentary, even as that form becomes harder to finance. Among their celebrated titles are One of Us, 12th & Delaware, and the Oscar-nominated Jesus Camp. Their latest film Folktales follows three teens in Norway learning outdoor survival skills at a folk high school where they bond with sled dogs. The film is being distributed to U.S. theaters by Magnolia Pictures. Hear our previous interview with Heidi and Rachel from 2016 talking about Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You on episode 14.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

Our Emmy contender conversations conclude with a look at three stand out biographies. Host Thom Powers interviews these directors:R.J. Cutler on "Martha" (Netflix) David Gelb with cinematographer Adam Bricker on "Chef's Table: Legends" (Netflix)Laurent Bouzereau on "Music By John Williams" (Disney+)Recorded live in Los Angeles at Documentary Spotlight, co-presented by The Ankler.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

Thom Powers hosts conversations on three Emmy contenders:"Will & Harper" (Netflix) with participant Harper Steele"Social Studies" (FX) with director Lauren Greenfield and participants Sydney Shear, Dominic Brown, Jonathan Gelfond"Chimp Crazy" (HBO) with director Eric Goode and executive producer Jeremy McBrideRecorded live in Los Angeles on June 8, 2025 at Documentary Spotlight, co-presented by The Ankler.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

Recorded live in New York City, Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviews the filmmakers behind four Emmy contenders:Michelle Khare of "Challenge Accepted" (YouTube)Lance Oppenheim of "Ren Faire" (Max)Liz Garbus of "Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer" (Netflix)"The Fall of Diddy" (ID) team of Mary Robertson, Emma Schwartz, Yoruba Richen Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

Live from New York City, Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviews the directors behind several projects contending for Emmy nominations:Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson on "Ladies and Gentlemen...50 Years of SNL Music" from Peacock; and "Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)" from HuluReginald Hudlin on "Number One on the Call Sheet" from Apple TV+David Tedeschi on "Beatles ‘64" from Disney+Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

Kenya's Sam Soko is a prominent figure in the rising wave of African documentary. He won international attention for his films Softie and Free Money at Sundance, TIFF and elsewhere. In this interview recorded at CPH:DOX, he explains there's a new crisis for African documentary. Cutbacks at USAID have hurt filmmakers who relied on NGOs for work. Whether or not you've seen Sam's films, this conversation evokes a critical moment for global storytelling. Titles mentioned in his conversation include: Softie, Free Money, Matabeleland, and The Battle for Laikipia.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction@thompowers1

"Blue Road: The Edna O'Brien Story" profiles the Irish novelist who broke taboos both in her writing and her personal life. Her early novels were denounced by the Catholic Church and banned by the Irish Censor Board. This stunning film puts her legacy into a new perspective. "Blue Road" premiered at TIFF and is now playing in theaters in Ireland and the UK, but hasn't yet found U.S. distribution. Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviews director Sinead O'Shea whose previous films include "Pray for Our Sinners" and "A Mother Brings Her Son to be Shot." Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

“Secret Mall Apartment” tells the story of a group of artists who found a hidden space a Rhode Island mega mall that they occupied for four years while evading security. Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviews Jeremy Workman about how he convinced the artists to tell their story after they had turned down other documentary makers for over 15 years. He also discusses his day job editing movie trailers; and what he learned from his father, the filmmaker Chuck Workman.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

Frederick Wiseman: An American Institution is the title of a career retrospective currently running at New York's Film at Lincoln Center through March 5. Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviews Wiseman at age 95 about how he maintained his independence for over five decades. They discuss a range of topics including what's happening with his 2005 documentary "The Garden" that was never released.Hear our previous interview with Wiseman on episode 55. You can also find his films on Kanopy.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

Four interviews about films on the Oscars Shortlist for Documentary Feature: consulting editor David Teague and animator Renata Galindo on FRIDA; co-director Angela Patton on DAUGHTERS; producer Rafael Marmor on WILL & HARPER; director Shiori Ito on BLACK BOX DIARIES. Recorded live in New York City on January 5, 2025 at Documentary Spotlight, co-presented by Pure Nonfiction and The Ankler, and moderated by Thom Powers.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

Three interviews about films on the Oscars Shortlist for Documentary Feature: Stephen Maing and Brett Story on UNION; Laurie Anderson and Gary Hustwit on ENO; Slava Leontyev, Paula Dupre' Pesman, and Joe Berlinger on PORCELAIN WAR. Recorded live in New York City on January 5, 2025 at Documentary Spotlight, co-presented by Pure Nonfiction and The Ankler, and moderated by Thom Powers.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

"Queendom" profiles the non-binary Russian performance artist Jenna Marvin. We watch her challenge Russia's repressive laws against the LGBTQ+ community and protest the country's war on Ukraine, putting herself at great risk. Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviews director Agniia Galdanova and producer Igor Myakotin about what motivated them on this project despite the inherent dangers. "Queendom" is on the Oscars Shortlist for Documentary Feature and available on video on demand.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

After Afghanistan experienced a change of power in 2021, Egyptian filmmaker Ibrahim Nash'at embedded himself in the country and documented how the Taliban took control of over $7 billion worth of U.S. military equipment. Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviews Ibrahim about the making of "Hollywoodgate," how he coped with risk, the role of his mentors Talal Derki and Jess Search, and why he embraced therapy in the process."Hollywoodgate" is on the Oscars Shortlist for documentary feature. Watch it on Jolt Film.Hear Talal Derki discuss "Of Fathers and Sons" on episode 96.Hear more about Jess Search on episodes 168 and 200.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

Adam Kinzinger was the first Republican Congressman to call for the impeachment of Donald Trump after the Jan 6 insurrection. That caught the attention of the Hollywood comedy writer and director Steve Pink ("Hot Tub Time Machine"). Although Pink is liberal and Kinzinger is conservative they shared a sense of humor and an opposition to Trump. "The Last Republican" follows Kinzinger over a year as he served on the Congressional committee to investigate Jan 6. The film is opening at New York's Film Forum. Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviews Kinzinger and Pink about releasing the film at a time when Trump is vowing to seek retribution against his enemies.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

"The Bibi Files" looks at the corruption case against Benjamin Netanyahu, drawing upon a vast trove of leaked interrogation footage. Netanyahu went to court trying to block the film from being shown, but that motion failed. Producer Alex Gibney and director Alexis Bloom discuss the challenges they faced in getting the film made and seen.Watch the film on Jolt.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

William Kentridge is well-known in the world of museums and galleries. Now he brings together all of his artistic disciplines - drawing, animation, sculpture and performance - to create the 9-part film essay "Self-Portrait as a Coffee Pot" streaming on Mubi. If you're a stranger to his work, see 10 Works to Know by William Kentridge from the Royal Academy of Art. Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviews Kentridge about creativity, therapy, optimism and his collaboration with the esteemed editor Walter Murch.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviews the directors of four films in the inaugural London edition of Documentary Spotlight, co-presented by The Ankler.Follow the links below to see the film trailers:Director Daniela Volker on The Commandant's ShadowDirector Hasan Oswald on MedihaDirector Vanessa Hope on Invisible NationDirector Jeff Zimbalist and producer Tamir Ardon on Skywalkers: A Love StorySubscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

Brian Eno and filmmaker Gary Hustwit discuss their film "Eno"; and director Benjamin Ree talks about "The Remarkable Life of Ibelin" with Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers. Both interviews were recorded in front of a live audience at the inaugural London edition of Documentary Spotlight, co-presented by The Ankler.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

"Ernest Cole: Lost and Found" explores the legacy of the photographer who covered apartheid in the 1960s from the perspective of a Black South African. Cole was driven into exile in the U.S. and Europe. He died in obscurity in 1990, but he left behind a secret archive of over 60,000 negatives shot in exile that were recently discovered. Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviews director Raoul Peck ("I Am Not Your Negro") about this new film. He also previews two more works coming next year on George Orwell and Haiti.Listen to past interview with Raoul on episodes 170 (on "Silver Dollar Road") and 21 (on James Baldwin).Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

Jazz musicians, CIA operatives, and African revolutionaries are among the many figures who populate "Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat" that win a Sundance jury award for Cinematic Innovation. Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviews director Johan Grimonprez in front of a live audience at CPH:DOX in Copenhagen.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

Our third episode recorded live in Los Angeles for Documentary Spotlight, co-presented by The Ankler, features:- "Frida" director Carla Gutierrez and composer Victor Hernandez Stumpfhauser (Amazon)- "I Am: Celine Dion" director Irene Taylor with rare disease specialist Dr. Paula Barreras (Amazon)- "Daughters" co-director Natalie Rae (Netflix)Interviewed by Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

We look at two new documentaries from directors who also work in comedy. Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviews Steve Pink ("Hot Tub Time Machine") whose documentary debut "The Last Republican" profiles Illinois Congressman Adam Kinzinger who voted to impeach Donald Trump after the January 6th insurrection. The second interview is with Josh Greenbaum ("Barb and Star Go to Vista del Mar") whose new film "Will & Harper" profiles Will Ferrell and Harper Steele as they take a cross country road trip after Harper has come out as a transgender woman. "Will & Harper" is now streaming on Netflix. Both interviews were recorded in October at the Documentary Spotlight event in Los Angeles, co-presented with The Ankler.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

Our latest Documentary Spotlight event took place in October, co-presented by The Ankler in Los Angeles. On this episode, we hear selections from the following conversations hosted by Thom Powers:- "Sugarcane" directors Julian Brave NoiseCat and Emily Kassie explore how indigenous communities in Canada investigate the legacy of abuse in Catholic residential schools. The film won the Sundance Documentary Directing Prize.- "Porcelain War" co-director Brendan Bellomo describes profiling three Ukrainian artists against the backdrop of Russia's war on their country. The film won the Sundance Grand Jury Prize for Documentary.- "No Other Land" directors Basel Adra and Yuval Abraham discuss their collaboration between Palestinian and Israeli filmmakers to document the destruction of a village in the West Bank. The two co-directors spoke by Zoom from the village of Masafer Yatta. "No Other Land" won the Jury and Audience Awards in Berlinale's Panorama section.This is the first of three episodes covering the Los Angeles Documentary Spotlight.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

Shiori Ito shocked Japan in 2017 when she publicly accused a prominent journalist with close ties to the Prime Minister of raping her. Both the police and her family tried to dissuade her from pursuing the case. She felt like there was a "black box" of cover up. She broke the silence and stigma, first by writing a memoir and now directing the film "Black Box Diaries" about her experiences trying to speak her truth, despite enormous backlash and death threats. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and was acquired by MTV Documentary Films for distribution. Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviewed Shiori in March during the CPH:DOX festival in Copenhagen.

"Nocturnes" won a Sundance special jury prize for cinematic craft. In the film, set in the mountainous forest on the border of India and Bhutan, we follow the scientist Mansi who works at night projecting light onto a sheet where countless species of colorful moths gather. The film offers an escape into nature away from the industrialized world. Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviews the two directors Anupama Srinivasan and Anirban Dutta about their unique approach. They also describe the hazards of filming under constant rain with leeches falling from the trees. "Nocturnes" is currently being released in theaters across the U.S. by Grasshopper Films.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

"Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story" profiles the actor who was paralyzed from a horse riding accident and found a new purpose in life. Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviews the documentary directors Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui. They discuss how they made their way to this project after previously collaborating on films about fashion designer Alexander McQueen in "McQueen" and the paralympics in "Rising Phoenix."Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

"Daughters," now streaming on Netflix, follows a Daddy Daughter Dance held in a prison. Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviews the film's director Angela Patton and Natalie Rae Robison, who collaborated on the feature documentary debut. They also discuss the contributions of cinematographer Michael "Cambio" Fernandez and executive producer Kerry Washington.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

Episode 200 is dedicated to the legacy of Jess Search, the visionary producer and co-founder of Doc Society. Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviews Beadie Finzi of Doc Society and Judy Kibinge of Docubox in Kenya. They are two members of DISCO (Decentralised Independent Story and Culture Organizers), a network of documentary organizations around the world. They discuss the mission of DISCO and the Independence Project.Learn more at:Doc SocietyDocuboxThe DISCO NetworkIndependence ProjectSubscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

"No Other Land" is directed by a collective of two Palestinians and two Israelis. They capture lives of Palestinians in the West Bank village of Masafer Yatta that's been routinely targeted by Israeli settlers and the military with violence and home demolitions. Taking place from 2019 to 2023, the film shows an alliance form between two of the directors – Basel Adra, who lives in Masafer Yatta, and Yuval Abraham from Israel – in their efforts to expose an injustice."No Other Land" won the Berlin Film Festival's jury and audience prizes in the Panorama section. Now it's coming to festivals in North America at TIFF, Camden, NYFF and other stops. It will be released in theaters this fall.Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers conducted this interview by Zoom reaching Basel Adra in Masafer Yatta and Yuval Abraham in Jerusalem. The film's other directors are Hamdan Ballal and Rachel Szor.

"Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa" profiles the woman who holds a world record for climbing Mount Everest. But her story is much bigger than that, overcoming innumerable hardships. Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviews director Lucy Walker about following Lhakpa on her quest to summit Everest for her tenth time and her hope to inspire other women, especially her daughters. Lucy describes how her earlier film "Blindsight" (2006) about a group of blind Tibetan youths trying to climb Everest gave her the confidence to tell Lhakpa's story."Mountain Queen" is now streaming on Netflix.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

Two years ago, Sonya Childress and Sarah Driver founded Color Congress to support documentary organizations led by people of color in the United States. They serve over 100 organizations that have long been overlooked and underfunded. Color Congress has given out grants, convened a conference, and is preparing to launch a new distribution initiative. Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviews Sonya and Sahar about how Color Congress is filling a void and what they've learned about building allies in fractious times.They also discuss a new existential threat from a right-wing movement that is targeting organizations that serve people of color. Sonya points to the recent legal case of the Fearless Fund as a cautionary tale.Sonya was previously interviewed on PN episode 139.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

"Skywalkers: A Love Story" (on Netflix) profiles the couple Ivan Beerkus and Angela Nikolau who attempt to climb the second tallest building in the world. It's both illegal and highly dangerous. Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviews filmmaker Jeff Zimbalist about how he and co-director Maria Bukhonina captured this adventure like a heist movie. Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

“Sorry / Not Sorry” reexamines the case of Louis C.K. In 2017, the New York Times reported that five women accused him of sexual harassment. He responded "these stories are true." Nine months later, he returned to performing and started to reshape his story. Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers talks to filmmakers Caroline Suh and Cara Mones about what they learned when they dug deeper into his story. In the film, they speak to Jen Kirkman, Abby Schachner, and Megan Koester — who spoke up about his sexual misconduct — as well as Comedy Cellar owner Noam Dworman and others."Sorry / Not Sorry" premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and is now released in theaters and VOD by Greenwich Films.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

"Copa 71" tells the story of an international women's soccer competition held in 1971, two decades before FIFA sanctioned an official Women's World Cup. Taking place in Mexico City's massive Azteca stadium, it was the largest live audience for any women's sporting event ever. But it was erased from history. Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviews filmmakers Rachel Ramsay and James Erskine about how they found the participants who waited 50 years to tell their story.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

ESPN’s 30 for 30 broke the formula of sports documentaries by enlisting independent filmmakers. Now the series celebrates its 15th anniversary. Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers recently moderated a live conversation at the DGA Theater in New York City to look at three new 30 for 30 titles. We hear from:- The Luckiest Guy in the World director Steve James and producer Marquis Daisy- Minister of Defense directors Ken Rodgers and Courtland Bragg- The Great Heisman Race of 1997 producer Carolyn Hepburn- ESPN Films executive producer Marsha CookeSubscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

Pure Nonfiction partnered with The Ankler for a live event in Los Angeles that highlighted documentary projects eligible for this year’s Emmys. On this episode, host Thom Powers interviews the teams behind five different feature docs:- Sarah Gibson and Erin Lee Carr on Stormy- Lance Oppenheim and Kathleen Lingo on Spermworld- Justin Wilkes, Lisa Henson, and Brian Henson on Jim Henson Idea Man- Bao Nguyen on The Greatest Night in Pop - Alex Gibney on In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul SimonWhether or not you’ve seen these projects, the interviews bring insight into a wide variety of filmmaking styles. On our previous episode, we heard from the filmmakers behind five documentary series that are Emmy contenders.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

Pure Nonfiction partnered with The Ankler for a live event in Los Angeles that highlighted documentary projects eligible for this year’s Emmys. On this episode, host Thom Powers interviews the teams behind five different episodic series:- Andrew Jarecki on The Jinx - Part Two- Prentice Penny on Black Twitter: A People’s History- Sam Lipman-Stern and Adam Bhala Lough on Telemarketers- Jasha Klebe on Our Planet II- Fisher Stevens on BeckhamWhether or not you’ve seen these projects, the interviews bring insight into a wide variety of filmmaking styles. On the next episode, we hear from the filmmakers behind five Emmy contenders in the categories for feature documentary.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

"Flipside" is a personal essay film in which director Chris Wilcha grapples with middle age by trying to document the New Jersey record store where he worked as a teenager. In the process, he returns to multiple other documentary projects that never came to fruition - interweaving interviews with jazz photographer Herman Leonard, TV writer David Milch, radio host Ira Glass, writer Starlee Kine, director Judd Apatow, comedian Uncle Floyd, and others.This subject hits close to home for Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers who was once was featured in the New York Times article Untold Stories, Abandoned Films about his own unfinished films.Flipside is now playing in theaters from Oscilloscope Laboratories.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

Indian documentary film has been gaining world renown with Peabody Awards, Oscar nominations and other recognition. A key trailblazer for this movement is Anand Patwardhan who has grappled with India's most hot button political issues in films such as "Reason" and "Father, Son and the Holy War." Now in his 70s, he's releasing his most personal film "The World is Family." He profiles his parents whose lives were intertwined with India's fight for independence.Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviewed Anand at the Toronto International Film Festival where "The World is Family" made its debut. Anand's next festival stop is the New York Indian Film Festival on June 1. See this article in Indiewire where esteemed Indian directors including Shaunak Sen and Vinay Shukla pay tribute to Anand.For more coverage of the documentary scene, subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

"Songs of Earth" is both a love story and a cinematic exploration of nature. Filmmaker Margreth Olin profiles her parents while immersing us in Norway's landscape of glaciers, fjords and waterfalls. After winning acclaim at festivals from CPH:DOX to TIFF, the film is now playing in U.S. theaters from Strand Releasing. It begs to be experienced on a big screen. Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviews Margreth about her attention to the image capturing, sound design, and the profound experience of screening the film in her family’s village.For more insights on documentary, subscribe to the Pure Nonfiction newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1