Top Docs: Award-Winning Documentary Filmmakers

Premiering at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, Academy Award-nominated director Elaine McMillion Sheldon’s ("Heroin(e)", "Recovery Boys") elegiac, stirring, and magical new documentary “King Coal” gives an insider’s unique perspective on the profound impact that coal has had on the people and mythos of Central Appalachia. As the daughter, granddaughter, and great-granddaughter of coal miners, Elaine’s narrative comes from a place of personal experience and deep reflection — and stretches the boundaries of traditional documentary. Sitting down with Ken in Park City the night before her film’s world premiere, Elaine discusses the liberating effect of using hybrid storytelling strategies, the challenges of presenting a nuanced approach to a highly politicized issue, and her nervous anticipation of watching the film with her family for the first time. "King Coal" was produced by Diane Becker, Shane Boris, and Peggy Drexler.   Follow: @topdocspod on Instagram and twitter @elainemsheldon on twitter   The Presenting Sponsor of “Top Docs” is Netflix. A big thanks to Portrait for hosting this conversation at Sundance. 

Bride kidnapping. What sounds like a practice from long ago or even a tale out of folklore is actually a Lunar New Year tradition among the Hmong community of the mountains of northern Vietnam. First-time feature filmmaker Diem Ha Le explores this controversial custom through the lens of Di, a young Hmong girl, in the fascinating coming-of-age documentary “Children of the Mist”.   Joining Ken on “Top Docs” to discuss her extraordinary film, Diem describes how she didn’t set out to make a film about bride kidnapping, but, eventually, the story led in that direction. How does the issue of bride kidnapping divide parents, the Vietnamese government, and teachers? What drove Diem to enter the fray and become directly involved in the events unfolding in front of her? And what caused the close relationship between Diem and Di to rupture? With no easy answers at hand, it’s obvious that, as the mist clears, the Di at the end of the film will be very different from the young girl at the beginning.   “Children of the Mist” is one of 15 documentaries named to the Oscar Shortlist in the category of Best Documentary Feature and is released by Film Movement.   Follow: @topdocspod on Instagram and twitter @filmmovement on Instagram and @Film_Movement on twitter   Hidden Gem: Slowly Forgetting Your Faces   The Presenting Sponsor of "Top Docs" is Netflix.

Hundreds of years ago, cut off from the outside world and confined to so-called chamber rooms, rural women in Jiangyong in southern China did something radical and transformative: they invented their own secret language. Speaking and writing “Nushu” to each other, the women found their voice and created a community of sisterhood. In her poetical and powerful documentary “Hidden Letters”, director Violet Du Feng (“Maineland”, “Confucian Dream”) explores the fascinating history of Nushu and follows two contemporary women who are fighting to keep the language alive and true to its original spirit.   Violet joins Ken on “Top Docs” to discuss Nushu, its current context, and her multi-layered creative approach. How did Violet decide that the key to the film was not just focusing on Nushu but on the “modern” Chinese woman and the staggering societal pressures she faces? In the midst of her production, why did she abandon the idea of animation and go in a completely different direction? And, in the face of Nushu’s recent commercialization, how can its practitioners ensure that Nushu continues to exist “in the internal space of who we are”?   “Hidden Letters” is one of 15 documentaries named to the Oscar Shortlist in the category of Best Documentary Feature. Distributed by Cargo Film and Releasing, the film premieres on Independent Lens on March 27th.   Follow: @topdocspod on Instagram and twitter @violetdufeng on Instagram and @HiddenLetters_ on twitter   Hidden Gem: Happiness is £4 Million   The Presenting Sponsor of "Top Docs" is Netflix.

Children in a shelter in Eastern Ukraine–many of whom have all but lost their parents to war, alcohol, homelessness.  But the director of “House Made of Splinters”, Simon Lereng Wilmont (“The Distant Barking of Dogs”) insists that his film is one founded not only on tragedy, but on hope.   Hear Simon speak with Mike on “Top Docs” (co-Creator: Ken Jacobson). Simon discusses the cyclical nature of his film–“When one child leaves, another arrives”–and how it is reflected in his depiction of the seasons, even in the structure of the film.  They speak about Eva’s fate, Sasha’s strength of character, and Kolya’s intelligence.  And finish with the ultimate moral of the “Scorpion and the Frog”.   Hidden Gem:  American Movie.   Follow: @simonlerengwilmont on Instagram and @simonwilmont on twitter @topdocspod on Instagram and twitter   The Presenting Sponsor of "Top Docs" is Netflix.

It’s back! After two years of being virtual, the Sundance Film Festival, one of the world’s great film showcases, returns from January 19 – 29, 2023 to Park City and Salt Lake City, UT for a robust lineup of live, in-person screenings and events. While the second half of the festival will also feature online screenings, there is nothing like showing films “up on the mountain” to a packed audience of film fanatics. For the second year in a row, “Top Docs” caught up with a very busy Basil Tsiokos, Sundance Senior Programmer, Nonfiction, to preview this year’s lineup of (no-doubt) extraordinary documentary features and give us a programmer’s inside view of this amazing festival. And don’t miss Basil’s predictions for this year’s Oscar nominations in the Best Documentary Feature category! To check out more info about the films and to find out which titles are available to view both in-person and (during the second half of the fest) online within the US, go to: festival.sundance.org   By the Numbers: Sundance Feature Submissions and Documentary Competition Sections: FEATURE FILM SUBMISSIONS: Of the 4,061 feature film submissions, 1,662 were from the U.S. and 2,399 were international; 1,105 (27%) were directed by one or more filmmakers who identify as women; 91 (2%) were directed by one or more filmmakers who identify as nonbinary individuals; 1,676 (41%) were directed by one or more filmmakers who identify as people of color; 547 (13%) were directed by one or more filmmakers who identify as LGBTQ+.   U.S. DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION: 63% or 10 of the 16 directors in this year’s U.S. Documentary Competition identify as women; 63% or 10 of the 16 identify as people of color; 13% or 2 of the 16 identify as LGBTQ+; 6% or 1 of the 16 identify as a person with a disability.   WORLD DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION: 46% or 6 of the 13 directors in the World Documentary Competition identify as women; 38% or 5 of the 13 as people of color; 23% or 3 of the 13 identify as LGBTQ+; 8% or 1 of the 13 identify as a person with a disability.   Follow: @whatnottodoc on Instagram and @1basil1 on twitter @sundanceorg on Instagram and @sundancefest on twitter @topdocspod on Instagram and twitter   The Presenting Sponsor of "Top Docs" is Netflix.

The chosen 15. On December 21st, the announcement came down: the Oscar Shortlist of 15 documentaries selected by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Documentary Branch to compete for the coveted award of Best Documentary Feature in the upcoming 95th Oscars. IndieWire Editor-at-Large Anne Thompson joins “Top Docs” to break down this year’s Oscar Shortlist and dissect the vote by the diverse, and somewhat unpredictable, documentary branch. What were the surprise misses? Which films are a sure bet to make the final 5? And why is this year’s race for the Oscar far more competitive and, therefore, much harder to predict than last year’s, which saw Questlove’s Summer of Soul take home the gold. Spice up your holidays by tuning in and get your scorecards ready!   IndieWire Editor-at-Large Anne Thompson has been a contributor to the New York Times, Washington Post, The Observer, and Wired. She has served as film columnist at Variety, and deputy editor of Variety.com, where her daily blog, Thompson on Hollywood, launched in March 2007.    Key awards mentioned in this episode: IDA (International Documentary Association) Awards – Nominees and Winners PGA (Producers Guild of America) Awards – Documentary Nominees Critics Choice Documentary Awards – Winners   “Top Docs” Interviews with directors of these Oscar Shortlisted films: All that Breathes All the Beauty and the Bloodshed Bad Axe Descendant Fire of Love Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, A Journey, A Song   The Janes Last Flight Home Moonage Daydream Navalny Retrograde The Territory   Follow: @topdocspod on Instagram and twitter @akstanwyck on Instagram and twitter   The Presenting Sponsor of "Top Docs" is Netflix.

When it comes to making documentaries with impact, filmmakers Chris Temple and Zach Ingrasci ("Living on One Dollar", "Salam Neighbor"), co-founders of the non-profit film studio Optimist, have walked the walk. Chris and Zach have created more than 15 films and series that have raised over $91 million dollars for the films’ causes. Their films and the impact work supporting them have changed lives and inspired thousands. Chris joins Ken for a special "Top Docs" episode to discuss the ins-and-outs of "impact filmmaking".   What do we mean when we talk about impact in relation to documentary filmmaking? What are some strategies for launching a successful impact campaign? What are Chris' top picks for pathbreaking, unforgettable impact films? Don't miss this insightful conversation. It will definitely impact how you see documentaries from here on.   For more information, go to: Optimist Doc Club   Films mentioned in this episode: Living on One Dollar Salam Neighbor Five Years North Aftershock The Territory Last Flight Home The Cove Blackfish The Social Dilemma Paris is Burning Miss Representation For Sama The Reason I Jump   Other resources: Exposure Labs impactguide.org   Follow: @topdocspod on Instagram and twitter @christemple on Instagram and @Christemple8 on twitter @optimist on Instagram and @OptimistFilms on twitter   The Presenting Sponsor of "Top Docs" is Netflix.

The story seems simple enough:  An elderly man returns to his homeland to build a house for his family.  And this man, Julian, seems a congenial, inviting presence:  Always offering food, drink, and conversation.  But in Iliana’s Sosa’s new documentary about her beloved grandfather, “What We Leave Behind,” there’s always a sense of mystery lurking.     Sosa builds this tone through her beautiful cinematography which captures not only everyday Mexican life, but also the deeper time of a place which contains the ruins of “The House of 100 Doors”--built for a demanding Spanish bride–as well as a rock named “El Castillo” where witches live.  The result is a very personal film which also pulls us into the history of a family both Mexican and American, as well as the broader cultural and even economic relationship between the two nations. The film ultimately poses the question to all of us:  What will be our legacy?   What We Leave Behind is now playing on Netflix.   Hidden Gem:  A Married Couple   Follow: @whatweleavebehindfilm on instagram @la_ili_sosa on instagram and @boderchild on twitter @topdocspod on twitter and instagram   The Presenting Sponsor of “Top Docs” is Netflix.

“The pivot”. It is one of the most talked about topics among documentary filmmakers. And for good reason. An unpredictable and ever-changing world can render the best laid plans obsolete and wreak havoc for filmmakers. In the course of making his urgent new documentary “Retrograde”, Matthew Heineman (“City of Ghosts”, “Cartel Land”) found himself facing a doozy of a pivot. After years of persistence, he and his team had finally gotten permission to embed with a group of U.S. Army Green Berets stationed in Afghanistan, only to encounter, with the U.S. pullout of all of its troops, a story without any characters. But when the U.S. Special Forces left, Matthew pivoted to the even more dramatic story of an Afghan general trying desperately to lead his troops and defend his crumbling nation against the fast-encroaching Taliban.   Joining Ken on “Top Docs”, Matthew discusses how he navigated this major shift and also sheds light on his distinctive approach to documentary storytelling. Why does Matthew intentionally exclude context from his films, believing that this creates a much more visceral and emotional impact? How did Matthew and the film’s other cinematographers manage to capture moments of great intensity without, in certain situations, understanding what was being said? And, up against a stroke of extraordinary bad luck, how did Matthew reconceive the film’s final scene in such a way to make the film’s ending even more powerful than he could have imagined. Thank goodness for the pivot.   “Retrograde”, released by National Geographic Documentary Films, is available now for streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.   Follow: @topdocspod on Instagram and twitter @mheineman on Instagram and @MattHeineman on twitter   Hidden Gem: Murderball   The Presenting Sponsor of "Top Docs" is Netflix.

Director Reid Davenport joins Mike to discuss his new documentary, “I Didn’t See You There.”  As the title intimates, this is a film about seeing and being seen.  Reid confronts not only the legacy of P.T. Barnum–which he traces all the way to photographer Diane Arbus–but what he sees as the possibility of his own participation in the “freak show”, one which he notes doesn’t necessarily require a tent!  He even questions the motivations of what he calls the “Neoliberal” documentary audience: what compels them to watch, to even pat themselves on the back?   Reid and Mike talk about both the pleasures as well as the challenges of navigating Oakland’s urban landscape in a wheelchair.  Reid explains how his new camera allowed him to shoot his own film, as well as facilitated showing the world from what will be to many a wholly new perspective.  And he describes a variety of purgatories that he experiences:  with his family, but not mobile; mobile, but without them.    “I Didn’t See You There” will be showing on PBS’s POV starting January 9th.   Follow: @topdocspod on instagram and twitter  @reidjdavenport on instagram and @ReidDavenport on twitter @idntseeyoutherefilm on instagram and @IDidntSeeUFilm on twitter   Hidden Gem:  Goodbye CP   The Presenting Sponsor of “Top Docs” is Netflix.