Pure Nonfiction: Inside Documentary Film

“Weiner” directors Josh Kriegman & Elyse Steinberg take us behind the scenes of filming their documentary about Anthony Weiner. The film follows the politician as he copes with a sexting scandal during the 2013 New York mayoral campaign. The film won the Documentary Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival and the David Carr […] The post PN 07: Weiner Beyond the Headlines appeared first on Pure Nonfiction.

Jonathan Demme has directed a steady stream of documentaries in between his prominent output of fiction films. In this conversation with Thom Powers, Demme talks about “Swimming to Cambodia,” the breakthrough monologue by Spalding Gray; “Cousin Bobby” about the Harlem-based Episcopalian priest Robert Castle; “The Agronomist” about the Haitian radio journalist Jean Dominique; “Jimmy Carter: […] The post PN 06: Jonathan Demme’s Real Life Characters appeared first on Pure Nonfiction.

Liz Garbus, the two-time Oscar nominated director of “The Farm: Angola, USA” and “What Happened, Miss Simone?,” has a new HBO documentary “Nothing Left Unsaid: Gloria Vanderbilt and Anderson Cooper” about the maverick fashion designer and her journalist son. Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviews Garbus about her career that moved from observational filmmaking to […] The post PN 05: Who is Anderson Cooper’s Mother? appeared first on Pure Nonfiction.

Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, directors of HBO’s “Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures,” discuss their career from when they first met in the 1980s. Yes, this episode contains explicit language as we discuss the controversial photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, known for his provocative images of gay S&M sex. Today, Bailey & Barbato run the Los Angeles-based […] The post PN 04: Going Deep With Mapplethorpe appeared first on Pure Nonfiction.

“Making a Murderer” directors Laura Riccardi and Moira Demos discuss the ten-year process of creating their acclaimed Netflix series. This conversation with Thom Powers took place with a live audience at New York’s IFC Center on February 25, 2016. The filmmakers were joined by their editor Mary Manhardt and Wisconsin attorney Stephen Glynn who appears […] The post PN 03: “Making a Murderer” – Behind the Scenes appeared first on Pure Nonfiction.

Dawn Porter, director of “Trapped” and “Gideon’s Army,” discusses how she switched careers from being a lawyer to a documentary maker; and how she chose her topics. Her first film “Gideon’s Army” looked at public defense lawyers in the south and influenced action by Attorney General Eric Holder. Her latest film “Trapped” won the 2016 […] The post PN 02: Inside the Supreme Court Case on Abortion appeared first on Pure Nonfiction.

Kahane Cooperman, the showrunner of “The New Yorker Presents,” discusses her eclectic jobs from working at Maysles Films to becoming co-executive producer of “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” to directing her new documentary “Joe’s Violin” that premiered at the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival. “I essentially went on my first job interviews in almost 19 […] The post PN 01: From Maysles To The New Yorker Presents… appeared first on Pure Nonfiction.

Documentary film makers span all kinds of storytellers: provocateurs, visionaries, investigators and more. Pure Nonfiction brings you candid interviews with leading documentary makers. Hear this preview as host Thom Powers talks to the filmmakers behind Making a Murderer; The New Yorker Presents; Mapplethorpe and more. Be among the first to subscribe! The post PN 00 – Introducing Pure Nonfiction! appeared first on Pure Nonfiction.