Top Docs: Award-Winning Documentary Filmmakers

While we gear up for Season 4, we thought we'd replay some of our favorite shows from the past few years.  Today, we’re presenting again our interview from September of 2022 with Daniel Roher regarding his film, Navalny, which depicts the Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny.  Since then, the film won the Academy Award for best Documentary.  Despite the attention brought by the film, in February of this year, Alexei Navalny died in the prison in which Vladimir Putin had confined him.     He survived a government-orchestrated poison attack. He pranked the Russian security agency. He endured (and continues to endure) solitary confinement in a remote gulag. Oh, and he also made some pretty cool TikTok videos. His name is Alexei Navalny, and, as Russia’s leading opposition figure, he will use whatever means possible to try to end the authoritarian regime of President Vladimir Putin. He’s also the subject of Daniel Roher’s (“Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band”) timely and relentlessly gripping documentary political thriller “Navalny”. In the midst of Putin’s unprovoked and disastrous war on Ukraine, Daniel joined Mike and Ken for an engaging conversation about Navalny’s perilous journey, from surviving an assassination attempt to his recovery in Germany and subsequent return to Russia and imprisonment. What led Daniel, in October 2020, from “a place of desperation” to the “Hail Mary pass” of his filmmaking career? How did he navigate the complexity of making a film about a man, who, as a master deployer of media tools himself, was at first skeptical of the documentary and then participated in a battle of wits about creative control over its direction? Finally, how did Daniel ensure that the film retained the sense of hope that Navalny, against all odds, continues to deploy against the dark forces conspiring against him and the Russian people? With its layered narratives, “Navalny” has as much in common with a classic Russian novel as it does with a James Bond thriller. We hope you will enjoy peeling back the layers with us and Daniel at least as much as those TikTok videos. “Navalny” is available on HBO and HBO Max.   Follow on Twitter: @DanielRoher @Navalny @topdocspod

To finish out Season 3, we're revisiting some telling moments from three of our most popular shows of the season: Laura McGann, "The Deepest Breath" Anna Hints, "Smoke Sauna Sisterhood" Fisher Stevens, "Beckham" The Presenting Sponsor of "Top Docs" is Netflix.

“Check Your Ego at the Door”. Those words were scrawled on a piece of paper and taped to the door of A&M Studios on the night of January 28, 1985. The story behind that command is the subject of director Bao Nguyen’s (“Be Water”) thoroughly captivating new Netflix documentary “The Greatest Night in Pop” about the once-in-a-lifetime event that drew dozens of the world’s biggest pop stars together on one night to record what would become the ‘80s phenomenon “We Are the World”.   Bao joins Ken on the pod to describe everything that went into the making of “We Are the World” and how he went about telling the story using a highly creative and seamless blend of archival footage, interviews and recreations. What prompted singer Harry Belafonte’s dream to galvanize the pop community to raise funds to combat the Ethiopian famine and led to this one magical, high stakes evening? How did the legendary producer Quincy Jones (who posted the note) manage to bring out the best in everyone and keep the trains running on time? And how did Bao approach his portrayal of the complicated and flawed superstar Michael Jackson, who co-wrote the song with Lionel Ritchie?   It turns out that “The Greatest Night in Pop” makes for a great night in documentary viewing, too. ““The Greatest Night in Pop” is available now on Netflix.    Hidden Gem:  The Emperor’s Naked Army Marches On   Follow: @thegreatestnightinpop on Instagram and @baomnguyen on twitter/X @topdocspod on Instagram and twitter/X   The Presenting Sponsor of "Top Docs" is Netflix.

So much for campfire singalongs and Capture the Flag. Directors Amanda McBaine and Jesse Moss once again plunge into the world of summer camp for young politicians-in-training with “Girls State”, a riveting and exhilarating follow up to their Emmy Award-winning 2020 documentary “Boys State.” The comparisons may be inevitable, but “Girls State” forges its own path with memorable characters, a compelling narrative arc and richly layered themes.   Joining Ken on the pod, Amanda and Jesse discuss how they took a fresh approach to “Girls State” embracing the idea of creative risk taking. What led them to choose Missouri as the location for the film, and how did the fact that the Missouri Boys State program was taking place simultaneously on the same college campus as Girls State present both a challenge and an opportunity? Were they surprised to find that Missouri’s red state politics weren’t necessarily reflected in the political leanings of the majority of young women participating in the program? And how did the leaked Supreme Court ruling on Dobbs, which happened during the production of “Girls State,” become an important backdrop for the drama happening inside the camp, as well as in society at large?   “Girls State” launches on Apple+ April 5th.   Follow: @djessemoss on twitter/X @topdocspod on Instagram and twitter/X   The Presenting Sponsor of "Top Docs" is Netflix.

Many of the issues that plagued the young people of America decades ago–binge drinking, drunken driving, teenage pregnancy, smoking, to name a few–have greatly declined in significance.  But in their place we have witnessed a seemingly ever-deepening mental health crisis amongst our youth, one partly rooted, as our guests tell us, in a rise of anxiety.   The directors of “Anxious Nation,” Laura Morton and Vanessa Roth, join Mike to explain how their own family experiences drove them to engage with this essential topic.  In their film they explore the deep roots of anxiety–not only on the personal level of family dynamics, but reaching far into our evolutionary past.  And they explain as well many of the current accelerants of the endemic anxiety experienced by our children.  Finally, they broach ways to alleviate the suffering for the kids and for their parents:  While none are a magic bullet, families can find methods and tools to help manage anxiety, and ultimately can seek solace in activities that can provide a deeper meaning and a resulting perspective on their daily struggles.     The Presenting Sponsor of "Top Docs" is Netflix.   Follow: @vanessarothdoc on twitter @topdocspod on Instagram and twitter

How much do you really know about Reality Winner, the veteran and NSA contractor who shared a document regarding Russian interference in the 2016 election with “The Intercept”, and then subsequently served several years in Federal prison as a consequence?     Sonia Kennebeck’s (Enemies of the State, National Bird) “Reality Winner” melds a host of timelines–before the arrest & after; during the FBI interrogation in her home; from the viewpoint of family as well as others who have bucked the national security state–to tell a broader story than the one you may have heard.  What was the actual reason Reality shared the document?  What really constitutes National Defense Information?  How common is it for the US Government to imprison people for sharing a single document?  How much is “The Intercept" to blame for revealing her as their source? Should we celebrate Trump’s conviction under the WWI-era Espionage Act?  Your views on these questions and much more may be complicated by Kennebeck’s deep dive into Reality’s story:  Her putative crime, her treatment by the government, as well as her personal ambitions, past and current.   Hidden Gem:  Q   The Presenting Sponsor of "Top Docs" is Netflix.   Follow: @soniakennebeck on Instagram and twitter @topdocspod on Instagram and twitter

Joining us for the third year in a row, Variety’s Senior Awards Editor Clayton Davis breaks down this year’s Oscar races for Best Documentary Feature and Best Documentary Short and offers his predictions for who will be victorious at the 96th Academy Awards on March 10th. With the feature doc category taking on a very international flavor this year, what does Clayton think of how the process unfolded from the shortlist to the nominations? How might Netflix’s late acquisition of “To Kill a Tiger” affect the outcome? In what is considered a very tight race, what might tip the balance?   With his encyclopedic knowledge of the Oscars (you’ll even catch a reference to “How Green Was My Valley” in the pod) and his finger-on-the-pulse of the overall Awards season, Clayton takes us through each of the nominees and gives you his unique insights into the process.   Also, be sure to catch our “Top Docs” interviews with all of the Oscar-nominated directors in the documentary feature and shorts categories.   Clayton Davis is Variety’s Senior Awards Editor. He is also one of the hosts of the "Variety Awards Circuit Podcast" and the video web series, "The Take." He's been an awards, film and television analyst and critic for more than 15 years and has co-hosted the Oscars Pre-Show on ABC. Clayton is also co-founder and president of the Latino Entertainment Journalists Association and is a board member of the Critics Choice Association.   The Presenting Sponsor of "Top Docs" is Netflix.   Follow: @ByClaytonDavis on Instagram and twitter @topdocspod on Instagram and twitter   Oscar Nominees: Features: 20 Days in Mariupol Bobi Wine:  The People’s President Eternal Memory Four Daughters To Kill a Tiger   Shorts: The ABCs of Book Banning The Barber of Little Rock The Last Repair Shop Island In Between Nǎi Nai and Wài Pó (Grandma & Grandma)   Other recent documentaries discussed: Still: A Michael J. Fox Movie American Symphony Beyond Utopia Apolonia, Apolonia Dick Johnson is Dead Every Body Little Richard: I am Everything Flea

We’ve saved the last of our live, in-person interviews at Sundance 2024 for the winners of the Sundance U.S. Documentary Competition Audience Award and overall Festival Favorite, the incredibly moving, tear-jerking, and, hopefully, policy-shifting documentary “Daughters”. Directors Angela Patton and Natalie Rae join Ken to discuss their world premiere screening and the life-changing organization “Girls For a Change” that Angela founded.   Over the course of the film, we meet Lashawn (5), Diamond (10), Unita (11), Sherita (15), and their families. Missing from their home lives are their fathers who are all incarcerated in a Washington, DC prison and who long to have some physical contact with their daughters, which is prohibited by prison policy. As the film unfolds, we learn about the “Date with Dad” program, a father-daughter dance which represents the only opportunity for these fathers and daughters to experience a so-called “touch visit”. When the “date” finally arrives, the hugs are tight, the emotions raw and the tears flow — both on-screen and off.   “Daughters” will be released later this year on Netflix.   Thanks to Amos Cochran of Edit/Score for hosting our 2024 Sundance interviews.  Edit/Score is a new music library with an innovative approach to finding music for your film. Listen to the library and learn more at editscoremusic.com    The Presenting Sponsor of "Top Docs" is Netflix.   Follow: @sistah_angela, @natalieraerobison, and @daughtersdocumentary on IG @topdocspod on Instagram and twitter

A gripping documentary follows Ranjit's quest for justice after his daughter's assault in rural India, navigating legal challenges and cultural norms. The film showcases the clash between national legislation empowering victims and village customs seeking reconciliation. Through emotional testimonies and resilient determination, the family shines a light on the complexities of seeking justice in a traditional society.

Continuing our coverage of Academy Award-nominated shorts, Mike speaks with Sean Wang about his loving tribute to his grandmothers.  As he describes the film:  “Nǎi Nai is my grandma. Wài Pó is my grandma. Together they are a grandma super team that dances, stretches, and farts their sorrows away.”  Despite its seeming insularity, and its general mood of fun and mischief, the film opens up to become as well a profound meditation on mortality.   You can watch “Nǎi Nai & Wài Pó (Grandma & Grandma)” on Disney+.   The Presenting Sponsor of "Top Docs" is Netflix.   Follow: @seanswang on Instagram @topdocspod on Instagram and twitter   Hidden Gem:  The Scared is Scared