Extraordinary artist Chiura Obata is the focus of the new documentary Obata's Yosemite, which explores his depiction of the national park through landscape paintings. Director Adam Prieto joins Doc Talk along with Kimi Hill, Obata's granddaughter. Hill tells us how Obata survived internment in a U.S. concentration camp for Japanese Americans during World War II, founding an art school for fellow detainees. As a bonus, we also speak with Milwaukee Film's artistic director, Cara Ogburn, about the challenges and opportunities facing film festivals in the U.S., including the Milwaukee Film Festival.

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Oscar-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney discusses his Emmy-contending two-part documentary In Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon. And he talks about his upcoming film on Elon Musk, including the nasty name Musk called him after the business tycoon heard about the project.  

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Director Prentice Penny breaks down his Hulu documentary series Black Twitter, a three-part examination of how Black users of Twitter transformed the platform into a forum for humor, community, and a rallying point for social justice. And he ponders the fate of the social media site under chaotic ownership of Elon Musk.

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Schitt's Creek star and beloved comedic actor Eugene Levy stops by Doc Talk to discuss his Emmy-contending nonfiction series The Reluctant Traveler, which finds him circumnavigating the globe despite being an admittedly adventure-averse individual. Executive producer-director David Brindley joins the conversation, revealing what travel activities Levy could not be convinced to do, and a few he surprisingly agreed to, including performing an examination of an elephant – and not from the front end.

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Oscar-winning filmmaker Ron Howard discusses his new Disney+ documentary Jim Henson Idea Man, about the late Muppets creator and filmmaker's extraordinary life and career. And Howard shares his thoughts about working with John Candy, subject of an upcoming documentary, and he pays tribute to the man who got him his start in directing -- Roger Corman. 

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Sundance, Hot Docs and other film festivals in North America are facing significant challenges post-pandemic. Sundance is even considering a move out of its long-time home in Park City, Utah. Joining us to talk about what's going on with festivals are Ken Jacobson, executive director of the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival in Arkansas, and Anne Lai, executive director of SFFilm.

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Our guest is Oscar-nominated filmmaker Yance Ford, director of Power. The documentary, premiering on Netflix this week, tackles policing in America – the origins of the institution and how police today preserve the existing order of society. Ford argues police power in this country is vast and largely unregulated.

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Doc Talk goes live from the Milwaukee Film Festival with Debra McClutchy, archival producer of Swamp Dogg Gets His Pool Painted and Oscar-nominated co-director of The Martha Mitchell Effect. And we discuss redemption and the power of music with JJ'88, protagonist of Songs From the Hole, and producer Richie Reseda.

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Doc Talk goes live from the Milwaukee Film Festival with Sav Rodgers, director of Chasing Chasing Amy, and Mary Louise Schumacher, director of Out of the Picture. Schumacher's film trains a sharp eye on the state of art criticism, while Rodgers explores how Kevin Smith's 1997 film Chasing Amy saved his life but continues to stir controversy today. 

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The announcement that Participant is shutting down has sent shock waves through the documentary community. Joining us to discuss the unsettling news are Oscar-nominated filmmakers Betsy West and Julie Cohen, who have made two documentaries with Particpant - 'RBG,' and 'My Name Is Pauli Murray.'

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