Pure Nonfiction: Inside Documentary Film
Latest Episodes
154: Oscar-nominated Shaunak Sen on "All That Breathes"
"All That Breathes" won top prizes at Sundance and Cannes for its portrayal of two brothers in New Delhi who dedicated themselves to rescuing birds from the hazards of the polluted city.
153: Joyce Chopra on "Lady Director"
Joyce Chopra broke the glass ceiling for womenin film by directing classic works such as the ground-breaking personal documentary "Joyce at 34". Those films and others are now streaming in a collecti
152: Violet Du Feng on "Hidden Letters"
Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviews director Violet Du Feng about changes for women in China, the effects of capitalism in the country and her goals to reach both Chinese and western audiences
151: Rebeca Huntt on "Beba"
Rebeca Huntt tells her own coming of age story in her debut documentary "Beba," now streaming on Hulu.
150: “La Madrina” of the South Bronx
La Madrina: The [Savage] Life of Lorine Padilla profiles the South Bronx godmother who transitioned from life in the Savage Skulls street gang to become a beloved community activist.
149: W. Kamau Bell on "We Need to Talk About Cosby"
"We Need to Talk About Cosby" explores the once beloved entertainer who's been accused by over 60 women of rape, sexual assault, and harrassment.
148: Abigail Disney & Kathleen Hughes on Disney’s Dark Side
Abigail Disney made headlines three years ago when she launched a critique on the labor practices of Walt Disney Company that was co-founded by her grandfather Roy O. Disney. Now she pushes that argum
147: Stanley Nelson on "Attica" and a Retrospective
Stanley Nelson's latest film "Attica" was picked for the Oscar Documentary Short List. It's playing on Showtime and available free for a limited time on YouTube.
146: Alex Pritz on “The Territory” at Sundance
Filmmaker Alex Pritz collaborates with members of the Uru-eu-wau-wau indigenous community to document what's happening in the Amazon in The Territory.
145: Joe Hunting on “We Met in Virtual Reality” at Sundance
We Met in Virtual Reality, premiering in the Sundance World Documentary Competition, profiles several users on the platform VRChat during the pandemic.