Pure Nonfiction: Inside Documentary Film

219: Frederick Wiseman at 95 Feb 14, 2025

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.
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218: Shortlisters, part 2 Jan 09, 2025

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.

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217: Shortlisters, part 1 Jan 08, 2025

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.

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216: "Queendom" with Agniia Galdanova & Igor Myakotin Jan 07, 2025

"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.

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215: Ibrahim Nash'at on "Hollywoodgate" Jan 06, 2025

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.

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214: Adam Kinzinger & Steve Pink on "The Last Republican" Jan 02, 2025

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.

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213: Alex Gibney & Alexis Bloom on "The Bibi Files" Dec 31, 2024

"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.

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On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

212: William Kentridge on "Self-Portrait as a Coffee Pot" Dec 10, 2024

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.

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211: Live from London Dec 05, 2024

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 Shadow

Director Hasan Oswald on
Mediha

Director Vanessa Hope on
Invisible Nation

Director Jeff Zimbalist and producer Tamir Ardon on
Skywalkers: A Love Story

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210: Brian Eno & Ibelin Dec 04, 2024

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.

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209: Raoul Peck on Ernest Cole, George Orwell & Haiti Nov 27, 2024

"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).

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208: Johan Grimonprez on "Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat" Nov 21, 2024

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.

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207: Frida, Celine and Daughters Nov 14, 2024

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.

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206: Docs with Laughs Nov 08, 2024

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.

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205: Live from Los Angeles Oct 31, 2024

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.

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204: Shiori Ito on "Black Box Diaries" Oct 24, 2024

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.

203: Elevating documentary craft in "Nocturnes" Oct 17, 2024

"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.

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202: On filming "Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story" Oct 10, 2024

"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."

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201: Angela Patton & Natalie Rae Robison on "Daughters" Oct 03, 2024

"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.

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200: Beadie Finzi & Judy Kibinge on DISCO & the Independence Project Sep 26, 2024

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:

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