Currently Browsing: documentary filmmaker

Gail Freedman Documents the Joyful & Tragic in Real Life

Today FF2 will be highlighting the work of director Gail Freedman, best known for her documentary Too Hot to Trot. Released on this day in 2018, Too Hot to Trot follows two sets of dance partners through the joyful, fast-paced world of queer ballroom dance.

Gail Freedman’s career defies any one particular interest.read more.

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Documentary Filmmaker Megumi Sasaki Commits to Nuanced Truth

Five years ago today was the US release of A Whale of a Tale, a fascinating and well-made documentary about the whaling industry in Taiji, Japan, created by filmmaker Megumi Sasaki. 

Megumi Sasaki is a filmmaker and author. Born and raised in Japan, Megumi moved to New York City when she was 26. She began her career as a journalist, working in both Japanese television and print.read more.

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The Courageous Vulnerability of Doc Filmmaker Nanfu Wang

Four years ago today, the documentary One Child Nation, by Nanfu Wang, was released in the US. One Child Nation is a rich and moving film about the aftermath of China’s one-child policy and a true testament to Nanfu Wang’s power as a filmmaker. 

Nanfu Wang’s path to filmmaking is uniquely inspiring. Born in a small rural village in Jiangxi Province, China, Nanfu felt alienated from her peers because she had a younger brother, while most of her classmates were only children as a result of the one-child policy.read more.

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Jamila Wignot Shows the Good, the Bad, & the Ugly of American Society

​​9 years ago today was the release of Town Hall, a fascinating documentary created by the incredible Jamila Wignot.

Jamila Wignot is an American filmmaker and producer known for her informative and impactful documentaries. Town Hall, released in 2014, was the first feature-length doc that she directed. The film offers an inside look into the worlds of Katy and John, two Tea Party activists in rural Pennsylvania.read more.

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Filmmaker Crystal Moselle Meets Her Subjects On the Street

On this day in 2017, Our Dream of Water premiered on National Geographic. This 3-part documentary centered around women from Haiti, Peru, and Kenya, offering a unique and illuminating look into the ways in which the water crisis impacts these women’s lives. Our Dream of Water was directed by the incomparable Crystal Moselle. read more.

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Filmmaker Lana Wilson Captures the Humanity in Every Subject

On this day three years ago, Miss Americana became available to stream on Netflix. This documentary was an up-close and personal view of Taylor Swift, who had been in the public eye for over a decade, but had never gotten to properly tell her story (that is, outside of her music). 

Miss Americana gave Taylor the space to explore the struggles, both personally and publicly, that she had faced as a person who found fame so early in her life.read more.

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