139: Sonya Childress & Jesse Wente on Making Change

Sonya Childress and Jesse Wente are among the most eloquent voices calling for change in the North American documentary industry. In June 2020, Childress published A Reckoning: The Documentary Film Industry Must Chart a New Path Forward that brought a critique over questions of authorship, accountability and ownership. She draws upon her experience working with Active Voice, Firelight Media and the Perspective Fund.

Wente is an Anishinaabe writer and executive director of the Indigenous Screen Office (ISO). That organization published the On-Screen Protocols and Pathways guide to working with First Nations, Métis and Inuit Communities. He’s the author of the new book Unreconciled: Family, Truth and Indigenous Resistance.

Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviewed Childress and Wente in September 2020 by teleconference for a panel titled Creating a Better Documentary Industry at the TIFF Industry Conference. This podcast excerpts the heart of the conversation as they confront questions of capitalism, journalistic objectivity and how to create meaningful change.

This year's TIFF Industry Conference will take place Sept 9-14 including discussions on Documentary History, Telling Family Stories and more. You can register for a Digital Talks pass to watch anywhere in the world.