"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 ..read more

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 ..read more

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 ..read more

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 streamin ..read more

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 w ..read more

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 T ..read more

"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 curre ..read more

"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 ..read more

"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 ..read more

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 Society Docubox The DISCO Network Independence Project Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices. On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1 ..read more