"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
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227: Heidi Ewing & Rachel Grady on "Folktales"
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
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226: Martha Stewart, Alice Waters, John Williams
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
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225: Will & Harper, Social Studies, Chimp Crazy
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
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224: Emmy contenders
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
If you love documentary films, hear from the top storytellers on Pure Nonfiction. Host Thom Powers is well-connected in this world as a documentary curator for the Toronto International Film Festival, DOC NYC, and SundanceNow Doc Club. He leads conversations that are frank, funny and revealing. Listen to interviews with Oscar-winning filmmakers Barbara Kopple, Alex Gibney, and Roger Ross Williams; as well as the directors of “Making a Murderer,” “Weiner” and “OJ: Made in America.” Often the stories behind the scenes are as dramatic as what’s on the screen. On Twitter, Facebook, Instagram: @purenonfiction. Subscribe now.
Ireland