

235: Oscar Shortlist Spotlight
08/1/2026 | 1 h 4 min
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 EyniThese conversations were recorded an online edition of Documentary Spotlight, co-presented by The Ankler.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

234: Ryan White & Megan Falley on "Come See Me in the Good Light"
05/1/2026 | 47 min
"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.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

233: Alexandria Stapleton on "Sean Combs: The Reckoning"
20/12/2025 | 45 min
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.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction@thompowers1

232: Apocalypse in the Tropics
04/12/2025 | 47 min
"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.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

231: Docs from Five Countries
25/11/2025 | 1 h 32 min
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.Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1



Pure Nonfiction: Inside Documentary Film