Pure Nonfiction: Inside Documentary Film
Pure Nonfiction
<p>If you love documentary films, hear from the top storytellers on Pure Nonfiction. Host Thom Powers is well-connected in this world as a documentary curator for the Toronto International Film Festival, DOC NYC, and SundanceNow Doc Club. He leads conversations that are frank, funny and revealing. Listen to interviews with Oscar-winning filmmakers Barbara Kopple, Alex Gibney, and Roger Ross Williams; as well as the directors of “Making a Murderer,” “Weiner” and “OJ: Made in America.” Often the stories behind the scenes are as dramatic as what’s on the screen. On Twitter, Facebook, Instagram: @purenonfiction. Subscribe now.</p>
- 1 hour 4 minutes235: Oscar Shortlist Spotlight
Fifteen films are shortlisted for the Oscars Feature Documentary category. On this episode, we hear from four of the directing teams:
- "The Alabama Solution" with Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kauffman
- "Yanuni" with Richard Ladkani
- "My Undesirable Friends Part 1 - Last Air in Moscow" with Julia Loktev
- "Cutting Through Rocks" with Sara Khaki and Mohammedreza Eyni
These conversations were recorded an online edition of Documentary Spotlight, co-presented by The Ankler.
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On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1
8 January 2026, 8:03 am - 47 minutes 5 seconds234: Ryan White & Megan Falley on "Come See Me in the Good Light"
"Come See Me in the Good Light" (Apple TV) portrays a love story of the spoken word poets Andrea Gibson and Megan Falley as they make the most of their lives in the face of a terminal cancer diagnosis. The film is joyous, funny and shortlisted for the Oscars' Best Documentary category. Pure Nonfiction host speaks with the director Ryan White and the one of the film's key figures Megan Falley. You can hear producer Jessica Hargrave interviewed on episode 229.
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On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1
5 January 2026, 8:07 am - 45 minutes 10 seconds233: Alexandria Stapleton on "Sean Combs: The Reckoning"
Director Alexandria Stapleton discusses her Netflix series "Sean Combs: The Reckoning," backed by executive producer Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson. Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviews Stapleton about each episode of the series and the participants who overcame years of fear and intimidation to finally speak out.
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On Instagram: @purenonfiction@thompowers1
20 December 2025, 1:50 pm - 47 minutes 11 seconds232: Apocalypse in the Tropics
"Apocalypse in the Tropics" explores the tumultuous battle to save democracy in Brazil. It reveals striking parallels to politics in the United States. Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers speaks with director Petra Costa and producer Alessandra Orofino.
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On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1
4 December 2025, 3:55 pm - 1 hour 32 minutes231: Docs from Five Countries
Host Thom Powers interviews the film teams behind five projects that are qualified for the Oscars:
MY MOM JAYNE (director Mariska Hargitay, producer Trish Adlesic, editor J.D. Marlow) exploring the life of Hollywood star Jayne Mansfield through the eyes of her daughter.
PUT YOUR SOUL ON YOUR HAND AND WALK (director Sepideh Farsi) profiling the Gaza photographer Fatma Hassona.
CHILD OF DUST (director Weronika Mliczewska, producr Bao Nguyen) follows the lifelong dream of a man in Vietnam to meet his father in the U.S.
NORITA (director Jayson McNamara, producer Sarah Schoellkopf) tells the history of Argentinian activist Nora Cortiñas.
QOTZUÑI: PEOPLE OF THE LAKE (directors Michael Salama, Gastón Zilberman) looks at an indigenous community in Bolivia trying to recover from the disappearance of a massive lake.
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On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1
25 November 2025, 8:44 am - 1 hour 1 minute230: Storks, Orphans, Rebels & Predators
Hear the filmmakers behind four of this year's most acclaimed documentaries: director Tamara Kotevska ("Honeyland") and cinematographer Jean Dakar on "The Tale of Silyan"; first time director Beth Lane on "UnBroken"; co-director Mohammedreza Eyni on "Cutting Through Rocks"; director David Osit and producer Jamie Goncalves on "Predators." These talks were recorded before a live audience in Los Angeles at our Documentary Spotlight event in partnership with The Ankler.
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On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1
24 October 2025, 6:37 am - 1 hour 1 minute229: Poetry, Murder, Prison & UFOs
Recorded live in Los Angeles, we partnered with The Ankler to bring you conversations covering four new documentaries: producer Jessica Hargrave (pictured) on “Come See Me in the Good Light”; director Dan Farah on “The Age of Disclosure”; producer Alisa Payne on “The Perfect Neighbor”; and directors Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman on “The Alabama Solution.”
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On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1
23 October 2025, 5:00 am - 24 minutes 26 seconds228: Contessa Gayles on "Songs From the Hole"
"Songs From the Hole," now playing on Netflix, won the SXSW Audience Award and the Blackstar Jury Prize for its artful approach to telling a story about solitary confinement. "It's eye-opening in a way you may have forgotten your eyes could still be opened," wrote critic Daniel Fienberg in The Hollywood Reporter. Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviews director Contessa Gayles about her career path from working inside CNN to going independent. Her other films include "The Feminist on Cellblock Y" and "The Debutantes."
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On Instagram: @purenonfiction@thompowers1
28 August 2025, 7:13 am - 30 minutes 17 seconds227: Heidi Ewing & Rachel Grady on "Folktales"
Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady have been making films as a team for over 20 years. They have a fierce dedication to the art of observational documentary, even as that form becomes harder to finance. Among their celebrated titles are One of Us, 12th & Delaware, and the Oscar-nominated Jesus Camp. Their latest film Folktales follows three teens in Norway learning outdoor survival skills at a folk high school where they bond with sled dogs. The film is being distributed to U.S. theaters by Magnolia Pictures.
Hear our previous interview with Heidi and Rachel from 2016 talking about Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You on episode 14.
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On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1
24 July 2025, 4:00 pm - 47 minutes 55 seconds226: Martha Stewart, Alice Waters, John Williams
Our Emmy contender conversations conclude with a look at three stand out biographies. Host Thom Powers interviews these directors:
R.J. Cutler on "Martha" (Netflix)
David Gelb with cinematographer Adam Bricker on "Chef's Table: Legends" (Netflix)
Laurent Bouzereau on "Music By John Williams" (Disney+)
Recorded live in Los Angeles at Documentary Spotlight, co-presented by The Ankler.
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On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1
13 June 2025, 5:00 am - 47 minutes 28 seconds225: Will & Harper, Social Studies, Chimp Crazy
Thom Powers hosts conversations on three Emmy contenders:
"Will & Harper" (Netflix) with participant Harper Steele
"Social Studies" (FX) with director Lauren Greenfield and participants Sydney Shear, Dominic Brown, Jonathan Gelfond
"Chimp Crazy" (HBO) with director Eric Goode and executive producer Jeremy McBride
Recorded live in Los Angeles on June 8, 2025 at Documentary Spotlight, co-presented by The Ankler.
Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.
On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1
12 June 2025, 6:07 am - More Episodes? Get the App