Top Docs: Award-Winning Documentary Filmmakers

Probably the last place you want to have a lover’s quarrel is during an illegal climb up one of the world’s tallest buildings — especially when your goal is to perform a death-defying acrobatic duet on the tiny platform at the top of the building’s spire. But in Jeff Zimbalist’s (“The Two Escobars,” “ReMastered”) harrowing, breathtaking documentary “Skywalkers: A Love Story,” that’s exactly where things are headed after Vanya Beerkus and Angela Nikolau, two uniquely gifted “rooftoppers/skywalkers,” reach the upper floors of the world’s second tallest building and can’t seem to agree on what to do next.   Joining Ken on the pod, Jeff describes how these two remarkable “artists of the sky” combine forces to perform some of the most extraordinary feats you’ve ever seen, from heights that will make your head spin. But while the footage of these achievements may make your palms sweaty (as they did mine), it is the growing intimate relationship between Vanya and Angela that proves every bit as complicated as the plotting required to pull off one of their amazing stunts. With his sharpened focus on this fascinating true romance, Jeff pulls off a pretty impressive stunt of his own: how to tell a story that is thoroughly relatable to those of us who will never do more than climb a 10-foot ladder or take an elevator ride to the top of some really tall building. It turns out that love may be the scariest climb of all.   “Skywalkers: A Love Story” is streaming on Netflix.   Follow: @jeffzimbalist on Instagram @topdocspod on Instagram and X   Hidden Gem: “The Hour of the Furnaces”

In his highly engaging new Netflix documentary “Martha,” Emmy award-winning filmmaker RJ Cutler (“Billie Eilish: The World’s a Little Blurry”, “Big Vape”) calls Martha Stewart the original influencer. Throughout the 80s and 90s, on her TV show and with her Kmart retail line and publishing empire, Martha defined good taste as it related to virtually every aspect of the American home. Her magazine and brand were called “Martha Stewart Living” for a reason.   RJ joins Mike and Ken on the pod to provide further insight into this groundbreaking entrepreneur and cultural icon, whose advice on all things related to the American home gave her legions of fans something to aspire to, but who couldn't always fix everything in her own life. From her difficult upbringing, through the highpoint of her career, and then with her downfall and eventual, triumphant comeback, “Martha” offers a fascinating and comprehensive portrait that leaves no decorative stone unturned.   “Martha” is currently streaming on Netflix.   Follow: @rjcutler928 on Instagram and @rjcutler on X @topdocspod on Instagram and X     The Presenting Sponsor of "Top Docs" is Netflix.

If you don’t want to get burned in American politics, “Lean into the fire.” So says James Carville, the world’s most famous presidential campaign manager, in award-winning filmmaker Matt Tyrnauer’s thoroughly engaging and refreshing new documentary, “Carville: Winning is Everything, Stupid.” Carville’s sharp-edged political commentary has, for years, provided a constant stream of content for cable shows and podcasts. But it wasn’t until mid-2023, when Carville became one of the first mainstream voices in Democratic circles to call for Biden to quit the 2024 campaign, that he achieved a level of prominence that he hadn’t experienced since the early 90s, when he helped Bill Clinton become president.   Joining Ken on the pod, Matt talks about what led him to James as the subject of his latest film even before the stuff hit the fan with Carville and Biden — and what it was like to be filming when the Biden-Trump debate changed everything. As with all master filmmakers, Matt’s approach goes beyond the present tense moment. He deftly navigates Carville’s poignant backstory and inner life, his upbringing and the public/private moments of his marriage to former Republican campaign consultant Mary Matalin. It turns out that leaning into the fire is sound advice for documentary filmmakers, too.   “Carville: Winning is Everything, Stupid” is playing in select theaters.   Follow: @tyrnauer on Instagram and @mtyrnauer on X @topdocspod on Instagram and X   Hidden Gem: “Paul T. Goldman”   The Presenting Sponsor of "Top Docs" is Netflix.

“The Last of the Sea Women” sounds like it might be a B movie classic in the mold of “King Kong vs. Godzilla.” But while Sue Kim’s fascinating and sui generis feature directorial debut shares very little in common with that movie genre, it does spotlight a group of extraordinary women from South Korea who have been living like real-life superheroes for centuries.   Sue joins Ken on the pod to talk about the remarkable haenyeo divers, who for many generations have been free diving off the coast of Jeju Island and other places in South Korea to harvest seafood and live as successful independent entrepreneurs. In the process, the haenyeo, most of whom are in their 60s and 70s, have formed a powerful bond and created a culture that has become legendary. Now, due to climate change, pollution and other factors, the haenyeo’s way of life is under threat. As the haenyeo become active in the fight to preserve their culture and protect the environment, a new generation of haenyeo has emerged. But, with most haenyeo aging out of the profession, can this way of life survive? If this sounds like the plot of a superhero movie, then you wouldn’t be far off.   “The Last of the Sea Women” is currently streaming on Apple+   Follow: @suebacca on Instagram @topdocspod on Instagram and X   Hidden Gem: “Liquor Store Dreams”   The Presenting Sponsor of "Top Docs" is Netflix.

Like many parents of young children who run around the house wreaking havoc, Montrealers Edith Lemay and Sébastian Pelletier have their hands full. But in their case, what concerns them most is that three of their four children suffer from a genetic condition called retinitis pigmentosa, which is gradually robbing Mia, Colin and Laurent of their eyesight. In their deeply moving new documentary, BLINK, filmmakers Edmund Stenson (“Finding Fukue”) and Daniel Roher (who won the Oscar® for “Navalny”) observe how this diagnosis has created a shockwave through the family, but also led to new adventures and personal growth.   Ed and Daniel join Ken on the pod to talk about how they came to know the Pelletiers and bear witness to the family’s yearlong journey around the world. Designed to help the children create strong visual memories that will last a lifetime, the trip is guided by an epic bucket list that also serves to drive the film’s narrative. As we witness the family traverse the globe, checking off items on the list, we find ourselves seeing the world through different sets of eyes. Scenes of delight and awe alternate with moments of uncertainty and fear. Ultimately, BLINK is a story of opening up and finding your place, including in your own family.   BLINK is being released by National Geographic Documentary Films in select theaters starting October 4th.   Follow: @daniel_roher on Instagram and @DanielRoher on twitter/X @edmund.stenson on Instagram @topdocspod on Instagram and twitter/X   Hidden Gems: Edmund: “A Man Vanishes” Daniel: “Terminator 2: Judgment Day”   The Presenting Sponsor of "Top Docs" is Netflix.

The 2024 Toronto International Film Festival, which runs September 5 – 15, 2024, promises, once again, to be one of the world’s premier showcases for documentaries. TIFF’s renowned Documentary Programmer and DOC NYC co-founder Thom Powers (Pure Nonfiction, WNYC’s Documentary of the Week) joins Ken to break down the TIFF DOCS lineup and discuss what are sure to be some of the Fall awards season’s most talked about and acclaimed documentaries.   Featuring 21 feature documentaries from 24 countries, the TIFF DOCS section is more international in scope than ever, covering a wide range of topics, from highly topical political docs (“The Last Republican”, “From Ground Zero”) to deeply intimate personal stories (“Mistress Dispeller”, “A Sister’s Tale”) and awe-inspiring cinematic experiences (“Space Cowboy”, “The Last of the Sea Women”). The Fall doc season is here, and Toronto is ground zero.   Follow: @thompowers1 on Instagram @topdocspod on Instagram and X/twitter   The Presenting Sponsor of "Top Docs" is Netflix.

At one time, being “Slimed” on Nickelodeon was seen as the ultimate television rite of passage and a harmless bit of fun. But as “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV” — Mary Robertson (“Framing Britney Spears”) and Emma Schwartz’ (“Elon Musk’s Crash Course”) devastating investigation of the warped culture at Nickelodeon in the 90s and 2000s — reveals, the atmosphere both on and off the set at Nickelodeon could be anything but harmless, fun, or safe.   Joining Ken on the pod to discuss their Emmy-nominated, 5-part Investigation Discovery docuseries, Mary and Emma detail the rise and fall of Nickelodeon “Golden Boy” Dan Schneider. His oversight of some of the most successful shows on the network left some staffers, young actors and the actors’ parents deeply upset or worse. In the case of Nickelodeon star Drake Bell, who comes forward for the first time to tell his story on camera in the series, he was sexually abused by dialogue coach Brian Peck. “Quiet on Set” pulls back the curtain on what went wrong at Nickelodeon and gives these young actors a chance to finally tell their side of the story.   “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV” is nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards: Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Series and Outstanding Picture Editing for a Nonfiction Program.   “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV” is streaming on Discovery Plus, Hulu and Max   Follow: @_rmaryr_ on Instagram and @mkrobertson on twitter/X @topdocspod on Instagram and twitter/X   Hidden Gems: Mary: “To Be and to Have” Emma: “Jacinta”   The Presenting Sponsor of "Top Docs" is Netflix.

Director Bao Nguyen returns to “Top Docs” to illuminate the creative process behind his captivating, and now multi-Emmy nominated, Netflix doc “The Greatest Night in Pop” about the behind-the-scenes studio recording of the iconic 1980s famine relief song “We Are the World”. Bao takes us deep inside his approach to characterization and tension-building in the fascinating and compelling sequence in which the legendary Bob Dylan struggles to record his part of the song.    When producer Quincy Jones and musical genius Stevie Wonder come to his aid, the scene takes on a deeper meaning. Bao explores what makes this moment so magical and such an enticing creative challenge.   “The Greatest Night in Pop” is nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards: Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special, Outstanding Directing for a Documentary/Nonfiction Program and Outstanding Sound Editing.   “The Greatest Night in Pop” is streaming on Netflix. You can listen to our original interview with Bao Nguyen from earlier this year

Fisher Stevens returns to the pod bearing 5 Emmy Nominations for his 4-part Netflix Series about the British football legend. He digs in deep with us on the opening sequence of Episode 3 of the series: "Golden Balls". And his delight is evident in meeting his old friends once again--Victoria and David, certainly, but Luís Figo, Gary Neville, and even Sir Alex Ferguson as well.   You can also listen to our original interview from October of last year!   The Presenting Sponsor of "Top Docs" is Netflix

We continue our Emmy coverage with a conversation with the filmmakers behind the Netflix series, “Escaping Twin Flames”:  director Cecilia Peck as well as executive producer and editor Inbal Lessner (both of “Brave Miss World,” and “Seduced: Inside the Nexium Cult.”)  Here is how Cecilia describes the series:   “Escaping Twin Flames is a three part Netflix doc series investigating ‘Twin Flames Universe’, which is a purported online relationship coaching school. This series follows former members of the group and family members, and focuses on the methodology used by this group to attract and indoctrinate and then control the lives of its members. It does pay particular attention to how, under the guise of being LGBTQ-friendly, Twin Flames Universe recruited within the gay, bi, and trans communities and then forced a heteronormative ideology onto its members.”   With the series nominated for Outstanding Editing, Cecilia, Inbal, and Mike dig into a sequence that leverages precisely chosen and deftly edited clips from the trove of materials from social to demonstrate exactly how the leaders of this group, Jeff and Sheleia, attracted, indoctrinated and integrated new members.  They then go on to explore the ramifications that the group’s strict gender ideology has had on both the participants in the group, as well as their family members.   Follow: @ceciliapeck on Instagram and twitter/X @inballessner on Instagram and @inbal_lessner on twitter/X   Hidden Gems: “Harlan County, USA” “Victim/Suspect” “Stormy” “Fire of Love”   The Presenting Sponsor of "Top Docs" is Netflix.