Pure Nonfiction: Inside Documentary Film Podcast

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Pure Nonfiction
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TV & Film Society & Culture Documentary Arts
Audience & Performance Metrics
3.5K - 5.9K listeners Female/Male 4.5 rating 234 reviews 233 episodes USA
Monetization Metrics
30s Ad: $108 - $122 60s Ad: $126 - $140 CPM Category: Fiction
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282 subscribers 6,811 followers Facebook Twitter
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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.

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  • Contact email for Pure Nonfiction: li***@purenonfiction.net
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Recent Hosts, Guests & Topics

Here's a quick summary of the last 5 episodes on Pure Nonfiction: Inside Documentary Film.

Hosts

Thom Powers

Previous Guests

Harper Steele
N/A
Lauren Greenfield
Lauren Greenfield is a renowned documentary filmmaker and photographer known for her work exploring social issues and culture.
Sydney Shear
N/A
Dominic Brown
N/A
Jonathan Gelfond
N/A
Eric Goode
Eric Goode is a filmmaker and producer known for his work on nature and wildlife documentaries.
Jeremy McBride
Jeremy McBride is an executive producer involved in documentary projects.
Michelle Khare
Michelle Khare is a filmmaker known for her work on YouTube series 'Challenge Accepted'.
Lance Oppenheim
Lance Oppenheim is a filmmaker known for the documentary 'Ren Faire' on Max.
Liz Garbus
Liz Garbus is a renowned documentary filmmaker, known for 'Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer' on Netflix.
Mary Robertson
Mary Robertson is a producer involved in the documentary 'The Fall of Diddy'.
Emma Schwartz
Emma Schwartz is a producer involved in the documentary 'The Fall of Diddy'.
Yoruba Richen
Yoruba Richen is a documentary filmmaker involved in 'The Fall of Diddy'.
Questlove
Ahmir 'Questlove' Thompson is a renowned musician, drummer for The Roots, and a filmmaker known for his work on music documentaries and cultural projects.
Reginald Hudlin
Reginald Hudlin is a filmmaker, director, and producer known for his work on films and television, including 'Django Unchained' and 'The Boondocks'.
David Tedeschi
David Tedeschi is a documentary filmmaker and producer, known for his work on projects like 'The War Room' and 'The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution'.
Sam Soko
Sam Soko is a prominent Kenyan documentary filmmaker known for his impactful storytelling that highlights African narratives. He gained international recognition for his films 'Softie' and 'Free Money', which have been showcased at prestigious film festivals such as Sundance and TIFF. Soko's work often addresses critical social issues and the challenges faced by filmmakers in Africa, particularly in light of funding cuts from organizations like USAID that have historically supported documentary projects.
Sinead O'Shea
Sinead O'Shea is an Irish filmmaker known for her documentary work that often explores complex social issues. She gained recognition for her films such as 'Pray for Our Sinners' and 'A Mother Brings Her Son to be Shot.' O'Shea's work is characterized by its deep engagement with personal narratives and societal challenges, and she has been praised for her ability to shed light on underrepresented stories.

Topics Discussed

Emmy contenders Will & Harper Social Studies Chimp Crazy documentary films Challenge Accepted Ren Faire Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer The Fall of Diddy documentary film Emmy nominations Questlove Reginald Hudlin David Tedeschi SNL Music Black Genius Number One on the Call Sheet Beatles 64 African documentary Sam Soko Softie Free Money CPH:DOX USAID NGOs global storytelling Edna O'Brien Irish novelist Blue Road documentary Catholic Church Irish Censor Board TIFF Sinead O'Shea

YouTube Channel

Channel Info

Pure Nonfiction
@PureNonfiction

Channel Stats

Subscribers: 282
Total Videos: 245
Total Views: 27,906
Joined: May 5, 2023
Location: United States

Description

Pure Nonfiction is a podcast hosted by Thom Powers covering the world of documentary storytelling.
Follow us on Instagram and sign up for our newsletter at purenonfiction.net!

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Content Rating: None
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@purenonfiction
Pure Nonfiction

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Followers: 6,811
Posts: 1,250

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Account Type: Business
Privacy: Public

Biography

Podcast interviewing documentary makers. Hear over 220 episodes. Subscribe to our Doc Voices substack. Link in bio👇

Links

https://linktr.ee/purenonfiction

Episodes

Here's the recent few episodes on Pure Nonfiction: Inside Documentary Film.

0:00 47:28

225: Will & Harper, Social Studies, Chimp Crazy

Hosts
Thom Powers
Guests
Harper Steele Lauren Greenfield Sydney Shear Dominic Brown Jonathan Gelfond Eric Goode Jeremy McBride
Keywords
Emmy contenders Will & Harper Social Studies Chimp Crazy documentary films

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

0:00 1:00:52

224: Emmy contenders

Hosts
Thom Powers
Guests
Michelle Khare Lance Oppenheim Liz Garbus Mary Robertson Emma Schwartz Yoruba Richen
Keywords
documentary films Emmy contenders Challenge Accepted Ren Faire Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer The Fall of Diddy

Recorded live in New York City, Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviews the filmmakers behind four Emmy contenders:

Michelle Khare of "Challenge Accepted" (YouTube)

Lance Oppenheim of "Ren Faire" (Max)

Liz Garbus of "Gone Girls: The Long Island Serial Killer" (Netflix)

"The Fall of Diddy" (ID) team of Mary Robertson, Emma Schwartz, Yoruba Richen 

Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.

On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

0:00 1:03:32

223: Questlove, Reginald Hudlin, David Tedeschi

Hosts
Thom Powers
Guests
Questlove Reginald Hudlin David Tedeschi
Keywords
documentary film Emmy nominations Questlove Reginald Hudlin David Tedeschi SNL Music Black Genius Number One on the Call Sheet Beatles 64

Live from New York City, Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviews the directors behind several projects contending for Emmy nominations:

Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson on "Ladies and Gentlemen...50 Years of SNL Music" from Peacock; and "Sly Lives! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)" from Hulu

Reginald Hudlin on "Number One on the Call Sheet" from Apple TV+

David Tedeschi on "Beatles ‘64" from Disney+

Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.

On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

0:00 42:24

222: Sam Soko on telling African stories

Hosts
Thom Powers
Guests
Sam Soko
Keywords
African documentary Sam Soko Softie Free Money CPH:DOX USAID NGOs global storytelling

Kenya's Sam Soko is a prominent figure in the rising wave of African documentary. He won international attention for his films Softie and Free Money at Sundance, TIFF and elsewhere. In this interview recorded at CPH:DOX, he explains there's a new crisis for African documentary. Cutbacks at USAID have hurt filmmakers who relied on NGOs for work. Whether or not you've seen Sam's films, this conversation evokes a critical moment for global storytelling. 

Titles mentioned in his conversation include: Softie, Free Money, Matabeleland, and The Battle for Laikipia.

Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.

On Instagram: @purenonfiction@thompowers1

0:00 43:51

221: Sinead O'Shea on Edna O'Brien

Hosts
Thom Powers
Guests
Sinead O'Shea
Keywords
Edna O'Brien Irish novelist Blue Road documentary Catholic Church Irish Censor Board TIFF Sinead O'Shea

"Blue Road: The Edna O'Brien Story" profiles the Irish novelist who broke taboos both in her writing and her personal life. Her early novels were denounced by the Catholic Church and banned by the Irish Censor Board. This stunning film puts her legacy into a new perspective. "Blue Road" premiered at TIFF and is now playing in theaters in Ireland and the UK, but hasn't yet found U.S. distribution. Pure Nonfiction host Thom Powers interviews director Sinead O'Shea whose previous films include "Pray for Our Sinners" and "A Mother Brings Her Son to be Shot." 

Subscribe to our Substack newsletter Doc Voices.

On Instagram: @purenonfiction @thompowers1

Ratings

Global:
4.5 rating 234 reviews

USA

4.4 ratings 214 reviews

Canada

5.0 ratings 8 reviews

UK

5.0 ratings 7 reviews

Australia

5.0 ratings 5 reviews

Ireland

0.0 ratings 0 reviews

New Zealand

0.0 ratings 0 reviews

Singapore

0.0 ratings 0 reviews

South Africa

0.0 ratings 0 reviews