Westdoc Online

BEN PROUDFOOT – The Last Repair Shop

Young filmmaker Ben Proudfoot went searching for the process behind student instrument repair in the vast Los Angeles City school system, but his Oscar nominated short, The Last Repair Shop, uncovered instead a warehouse filled with human tales of struggle, endurance, and success. Proudfoot speaks to Westdoc about magic, funding, and a wealth of future projects. His wonderful short is available free on YouTube.

LEO CHIANG – Island In Between

Just two miles from mainland China, but still part of Taiwan, sits the tiny island of Kinmen. "Island In Between" is American/Taiwanese filmmaker S. Leo Chiang’s powerful, Oscar nominated short doc about international tension and changing times. Chiang speaks with Westdoc about growing up both there and here, seeing both the danger and the beauty, and trying to make sense of it all.

MSTYSLAV CHERNOV – 20 Days In Mariupol

The war in Ukraine rages on. Veteran “conflict journalist” Mstyslav Chernov captures the terror and panic of the initial assault in his stark documentary. He speaks to Westdoc about the need to be multi-lingual, surviving in a war zone, hiding the digital evidence in a tampon, which itself had to be hidden — and the universal destructiveness of war: to civilians, soldiers, and filmmakers. “20 Days in Mariupol” is in contention for an Oscar nomination and can be seen now free on Frontline and YouTube. 

NICOLE NEWNHAM – The Disappearance of Shere Hite

It’s been a disappointing year for quality scripted features, but not for documentaries. One of the most provocative is bio doc, "The Disappearance of Shere Hite,” with the liberation of the female orgasm center stage. The Hite Report was one of the best-selling books of all time. On the new edition of Westdoc, director Nicole Newnham talks about why Shere Hite left the country, renounced her US citizenship, and disappeared.  

DANNY WU – American: An Odyssey to 1947

There is a great pleasure in finding something you believe very few people have yet discovered. As a member of the Motion Picture Academy, I have access to most of this year's films, and all the documentaries submitted. I try to watch as many as possible and I stumbled upon this film and am very happy to share it with you. The 1930's and 40's is a fascinating period of time and then throw in Orsen Welles, FDR, and some other characters with great stories. The first-time director Danny Wu is a Chinese immigrant to Canada in his mid 20's. His film school was YouTube. Watch our conversation and then view the doc now on the Oscar web portal for members, or on Amazon, YouTube, AppleTV, and Google Play.

SAM GREEN – 32 Sounds

Tune in to a world full of sound with Westdoc Online host, Chuck Braverman, and guest, Sam Green. Documentary "32 Sounds" immerses you in the elemental phenomenon of sound and its ability to profoundly shape our reality.

KATJA ESSON – Razing Liberty Square

Life can be a struggle, whether you are a polar bear searching for food on melting ice or a black man searching for justice on shrinking real estate. The inevitability of rising sea levels have Miami’s developers turning a covetous eye toward the black ghetto, located, as it is, on the highest-and-driest ground in the city. Ghetto residents are bracing for another fight - Climate Gentrification.  "Razing Liberty Square" is a story of climate change, race, altitude, and attitude. German born filmmaker Katja Esson tells us about her history in Miami, applying and re-applying for grants, and the value of personal relationships in film. Her film is in limited release now and will be on PBS in January. 

JUSTIN MONROE & TIM CAREY – Holy Frit

Filmmaker Justin Monroe discovered that his next door neighbor Tim Carey was bidding to create the world’s largest stained glass window. What Justin didn't know is that Tim had no idea how to make that size window. HOLY FRIT combines the ancient art of glazing with the high-tech art of documentary filmmaking. Justin and Tim talk with Westdoc about their nine years on the project, its challenges, the meaning of art, financing, distribution, and an artist they collaborate with named Narcissis. Bonus video — how you can learn to glaze — follows end credits. Hang in.

NISHA PAHUJA – To Kill A Tiger

TO KILL A TIGER is the story of one fathers' fight against everyone in his small village in northern India after his 13 year old daughter is raped by three local men. Supporting his daughter was virtually unheard of and his journey unprecedented. The locals suggested she marry one of attackers to protect her honor.
In our conversation with director NISHA PAHUJA, she tells us how the film was originally following another subject and the prosecution of the three men was a side issue. But in the edit room in Toronto it became clear that they had to pivot and make this the main story. The film is being released in select theaters starting this week and is well worth the effort to view. Watch our conversation on the Westdoc site.

ERROL MORRIS – The Pigeon Tunnel

In 1988 when the Errol Morris film "The Thin Blue Line" was screened for the Academy doc branch to be eligible for an Oscar, it was allegedly stopped after only 10 minutes following the first recreation scene and disqualified. What Morris did with the Thin Blue Line, was to revolutionize nonfiction filmmaking. His reenactments were Roshomon like from the POV of different people. The Academy apparently got over their sentiments about reenactments as Morris won the Oscar in 2003 for his documentary "The Fog of War."
In The Pigeon Tunnel he has a conversation with best-selling author David Cornwell, aka John le Carré who is the master of fictional espionage based in no small part on his own spying history. BTW, did you know that before Errol Morris was a director, he was a private detective? The Pigeon Tunnel will premiere on AppleTV+ October 20th.