Top Docs: Award-Winning Documentary Filmmakers

  Acclaimed director Amy Berg (“West of Memphis,” “Janis: Little Girl Blue”) set her sights on making a documentary about the beloved singer/songwriter Jeff Buckley some 15 years ago. Now, with her finely crafted new documentary, “It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley,” Amy delivers a fresh take on Buckley’s remarkable music and a thoughtful look at his life and loves.   Amy joins Ken on “Top Docs” to discuss Jeff Buckley’s meteoric rise as a dynamic musical force in the ‘90s, whose sensitive and introspective lyrics ran counter to the grunge and metal scenes ascendant at the time. Jeff’s influences, from Nina Simone to Led Zeppelin and Soundgarden, were surprisingly diverse. His voice —  a powerful and haunting instrument in its own right — was unmatched. One listen of his soul-piercing version of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” is all the proof you need of that. At the heart of the film is Jeff’s complicated relationship with his dear mother, Mary, who granted Amy access to an incredible array of personal archival material, and with two of his girlfriends, who, collectively, provide insight into this complex young man. He took the music world by storm but had to battle his own demons… and left us all too soon.   “It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley” is in release by Magnolia Films and opens in theaters nationwide on August 8th.   Follow: @amy_berg on Instagram @topdocspod on Instagram and X    “Top Docs” is now on YouTube!   Hidden Gem: “The Cruise”   The Presenting Sponsor of "Top Docs" is Netflix.

With intense scrutiny of the trans community comes threats to the personal safety, healthcare and civil rights of trans people. Just ask Sam Feder (“Disclosure”), director of the timely new documentary “Heightened Scrutiny” that follows ACLU attorney Chase Strangio on his journey all the way to the Supreme Court to fight for the rights of transgender adolescents and their access to gender affirming healthcare.   Sam and producer Amy Scholder join Ken on “Top Docs” to discuss their collaboration on “Disclosure” and their subsequent creative partnership on “Heightened Scrutiny.” Through this multi-layered story, we observe Chase, the first out trans person to argue a case before the Court, up-close as he prepares his legal brief. But, as we talk about in our convo, the film succeeds in going deeper than just being a portrait of a civil rights pioneer. How have mainstream media outlets not only presented a distorted lens on the trans community but provided fodder for the very forces seeking to overturn trans rights? It’s a chilling and urgent story that certainly deserves your heightened interest.   Starting July 18th, “Heightened Scrutiny” is in select theaters in NYC and LA.   Follow: @samfeder_1 on Instagram and @SamFederFilm on X and @amyjscholder on Instagram @topdocspod on Instagram and X    “Top Docs” is now on YouTube!   The Presenting Sponsor of "Top Docs" is Netflix.

It all starts with the fish. In director Matt Tyrnauer’s (“Carville, Winning is Everything, Stupid”) delectable and insightful new documentary “Nobu,” we are reminded of this fact when Nobu himself, the man behind the restaurant empire that shares his name, reels in a fish, skins, slices and serves it right on the boat to friends and family. It is one of many revelatory scenes that, taken as a whole, peel back the layers of Nobuyuki “Nobu” Matsuhisa’s life and his long journey to re-define sushi for the modern world.   Matt joins Ken on the pod to shed light on his observational approach to documentary portraiture and to explore the unique and ever-expanding Nobu style. Rather than a straight line to success, Nobu’s story is one of early struggles, crushing failures and constant attention to detail. From a tense scene featuring an executive chef struggling to reproduce one of Nobu’s signature dishes to a humdrum meeting of Nobu’s business partners (including the actor and Nobu partner Robert De Niro in a surprising and riveting star turn) that suddenly turns contentious, “Nobu” not only spotlights the talents of a game-changing chef, but once again reminds us why the hard-earned observational approach is as satisfying as a perfectly prepared plate of sushi.   “Nobu” is being released by Vertical in theaters in NY on June 27th and in cities nationwide beginning July 4th.   Follow: @tyrnauer on Instagram and @mtyrnauer on X @topdocspod on Instagram and X   And now, also look for “Top Docs” on YouTube!   The Presenting Sponsor of "Top Docs" is Netflix.

During Jacinda Ardern’s historic run as Prime Minister of New Zealand from 2017 - 2023, she became a worldwide phenomenon and icon of the Left. From the pandemic to a horrific mass shooting in NZ, Jacinda faced a series of major crises, as well as a media crush that followed her everywhere. But during those tumultuous times, one thing remained unknown: what was it like for the person at the center of these events to experience all that — and, simultaneously, being a new mother as well? In Michelle Walshe and Lindsay Utz’s enthralling documentary “Prime Minister,” we now get to hear from the former PM herself.   Michelle and Lindsay join Ken on the pod to describe what it was like to embark on this journey of self-reflection with Jacinda Ardern. Relying on a combination of intimate home movie footage shot by Jacinda’s husband, news clips and original material, the two directors put us right back in the middle of these events, as well as offer Jacinda’s insightful perceptive on what it means to her now and where to go from here.   “Prime Minister” is in theatrical release by Magnolia Pictures.   Hidden Gem: Lindsay: “Time” Michelle: “Navalny”, “The Jinx”   Follow: @utzies26 on Instagram and @Lindsay_utz on X @shellfishes on Instagram @topdocspod on Instagram and X    The Presenting Sponsor of "Top Docs" is Netflix.

In elementary school, Emmy Award-winning director Cristina Costantini (“Science Fair”) was a science nerd who idolized astronaut Sally Ride, the first American woman in space. Cristina even painted a mural of Sally on one of her elementary school’s walls. Fast forward to today and National Geographic Documentary Films has just released Cristina’s terrific new feature-length documentary about the astronaut called simply, “Sally.”   Cristina joins Ken on the pod to share her lifelong admiration of Sally Ride and to discuss this nuanced, three-dimensional portrait that examines Sally’s private and public lives in equal measure. Tam O’Shaughnessy, Sally’s life partner of 27 years, serves as the documentary’s central storyteller, and from Tam and others, we get a fuller picture of Sally than ever before. We also learn of the high cost paid by both women for keeping their relationship a secret until Sally’s early death from cancer at age 61. By the end, we find ourselves as dazzled by this timeless love story as we are by Sally’s historic blast into space.   “Sally” is streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.   Follow: @xtinatini on Instagram and X @topdocspod on Instagram and X    The Presenting Sponsor of "Top Docs" is Netflix.

It makes sense that Simone Biles, winner of 11 Olympic medals, and considered by many to be the greatest gymnast of all time, would stick to a consistent pre-competition ritual to prepare for battle. But, as filmmaker Katie Walsh shows in one of the more intimate scenes in her exceptional four-part Netflix docuseries, “Simone Biles Rising,” the big surprise comes when we see that the hair braiding skills of Simone’s mom Nellie might be the most important part of this ritual. This simple act of touch prior to each day’s competition says it all about the close bond between mother and daughter and the person Simone turns to in the most difficult moments.   Katie joins Ken on “Top Docs” to talk about this special relationship between Simone and Nellie and what it was like to document the highs and lows of Simone’s remarkable career. The series begins with Simone’s shocking case of the “twisties” at the 2021 Tokyo Games that caused her to withdraw from the sport she’d come to dominate. Over the course of the series, Katie captures all the key moments as Simone, with the support of her family and close network of friends, finds her way back to gold medal glory. But, just as important, as a powerful advocate for mental health, Simone challenges society’s expectations of its most celebrated athletes — and once again rises above.   “Simone Biles Rising” is streaming on Netflix.   Hidden Gem: “Daughters”   Follow: @projectlifemedia on Instagram @topdocspod on Instagram and X    The Presenting Sponsor of "Top Docs" is Netflix.

Director Josh Greenbaum returns to “Top Docs” to discuss the poignant and culminating closing sequence in his deeply moving documentary “Will & Harper.” In the film, close friends Will Farrell and Harper Steele embark on a road trip across America to get everything out in the open about Harper’s recent transition and to support her new life as a trans woman.   With the sun setting over the Pacific Ocean, the road trip and the film come down to these final crucial moments. Josh elaborates on his cinematographers’ instinctive and skillful camerawork, as well as themes, music, edting and lighting. Nothing does more to leave a lasting and deeply felt impression on an audience than a formally successful and emotionally satisfying ending. “Will & Harper” lands its ending about as perfectly as a golden Southern California sunset. “Will & Harper” is streaming on Netflix. Please enjoy our original “Top Docs” podcast with Josh from earlier this year discussing “Will & Harper.”   Follow: @josh.greenbaum on Instagram @topdocspod on Instagram and X   The Presenting Sponsor of "Top Docs" is Netflix.

R.J. Cutler returns to the pod to dig in deeper to his Netflix documentary on Martha Stewart, “Martha”.  R.J. and Mike turn their eyes to a few minutes early on (starting about minute 15 if you want to watch along), when a young Martha Stewart pursues motherhood, Wall Street, and ultimately Turkey Hill to become “Martha”.  R.J. explains how every element–cinematography, archive, editing, graphic design, music–both propels Martha forward towards her seemingly inevitable iconic status while simultaneously pulling her back towards her humble roots.     Follow: @rjcutler928 on Instagram and @rjcutler on X @topdocspod on Instagram and twitter/X   The Presenting Sponsor of "Top Docs" is Netflix.

Thom Zimny (“Springsteen on Broadway”, “Springsteen: Letter to You”) can tell you a lot about Bruce Springsteen. Through the course of Thom’s many documentaries featuring Bruce and the E Street Band, including his latest film, “Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band,” Thom has delved deeply into the music, personalities, and rollicking performances that have made the band one of the most beloved rock-and-roll acts of all time. Thom joins Ken for a return visit to the pod (“Sly”) to discuss his 25-year collaboration with Bruce and the rich cinematic body of work that Thom has created over the course of Bruce’s many albums and tours. With “Road Diary,” Thom documents the band’s first tour in six years. At first, the question hangs in the air: “Does the band still have it?” But, once the tour begins, the rust falls away quickly. Soon, the band, which features new musicians as well as returning veterans, is rocking stadiums from Tampa to Barcelona. Thom is there to capture not only what is happening on stage but to show the profound impact that Bruce and the band continue to have on multiple generations of fans. It’s the kind of special relationship that endures. “Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band” is streaming on Hulu and Disney+.   Hidden Gem: “Zappa”   Follow: @tzimnyc on Instagram and @ThomZimny on X @topdocspod on Instagram and X   

As explained by director Liz Garbus ( Bobby Fisher Against the World),  ”Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer is, “A documentary series that follows  the case of young women who went missing from New York City and Long Island.  Ultimately, it's a story about what victims are valued and how when justice fails, people have to step up and demand it for their loved ones.”  You can watch the series on Netflix.   This documentary follows on the success of her docudrama “Lost Girls”, which features a fiery Amy Ryan as Mari Gilbert, the mother of a young woman, Shannan Gilbert, last heard on a 911 call pleading for help from the danger she believed threatened her life. Mari insistently sought justice for her lost child, a crusade which subsequently led to the discovery of the bodies of several other young women on the Southern shore of Long Island.  In the wake of the recent identification of a likely killer of these women (and eventually others), Garbus felt compelled to return to tell the story afresh.  What she reveals is one of a police department that went wrong, and an investigation that long lay fallow, only to be brought to a seeming revelation when key evidence and an indicted killer are recognized for what they truly are.   Hidden Gem:  No Other Land   Follow: @lizfgarbus on Instagram @lizgarbus on X @topdocspod on Instagram and X    The Presenting Sponsor of "Top Docs" is Netflix.