Factual America

Osama bin Laden, CIA, and the manhunt that changed history. In this interview with award-winning directors Mor Loushy and Daniel Sivan of American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden, we uncover the untold truths behind one of the most intense and dangerous global manhunts.

Explore rare footage, insider interviews, and shocking revelations about the CIA’s pursuit of Osama bin Laden. How did the mission unfold? What went wrong? And what secrets are still hidden about the operation that led to the historic raid?

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Timestamps: 00:00 - Trailer "American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden"

02:22 - Introduction and synopsis

04:28 - A who’s who of US government officials

07:20 - The women behind the manhunt

10:51 - A decade of hunting bin Laden

17:06 - Parallels between a film about 9/11 and October 7th

18:24 - How the series came together

20:08 - Crazy contributor stories

25:09 - The 25th anniversary of 9/11

27:44 - Future plans of Mor and Daniel – Outro

Watch the full episode on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHTDnhmQjf0

The Liver King built a supplement empire by devouring raw meat on social media. And he had the muscles to prove it. But how did the Liver King get so huge? Netflix director Joe Pearlman tells all. In this interview, we dig into the raw truth behind the man, the myth, and the meat-fueled machine that captivated millions.From viral fame and ancestral living to steroids, scandal, and supplement sales – this conversation goes beyond the beef.Timestamps: 00:00 - Trailer02:07 - Introduction 04:32 - An evangelist for the ancestral lifestyle07:58 - Not Brian Johnson but the Liver King13:11 - A man that knows to market himself15:31 - The lies that came long before the steroids17:47 - The reveal of the real Brian Johnson22:04 - Liver Queen: no regrets24:12 - How Joe got involved with the project25:10 - Living online 24/726:50 - America in the eyes of a British filmmaker30:01 - The "Wild West" that is social media31:18 - Joe Pearlman's future projects#LiverKing#NetflixDocumentary#FitnessScandal#RawMeat#SupplementEmpire
Watch Full Episode on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=404rzi6AyOc

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Subscribe to Factual America: ⁠https://linktr.ee/FactualAmerica⁠Like us on Facebook: @factualamerica Follow us on Twitter: @Factual_AmericaConnect with Matthew Sherwood: Twitter: @sherwood1967 Facebook: @matthew.sherwood.14 LinkedIn: @matthewsherwood

Vietnam War secrets, untold stories, and hidden history - revealed by Netflix director Brian Knappenberger and renowned historian Lien-Hang Nguyen.

As we approach the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, this interview uncovers new accounts from the war - from suppressed footage to shocking revelations about U.S. involvement and North Vietnam's internal strategy.

A must-watch for anyone interested in war documentaries, declassified history, and the truth behind one of the most controversial conflicts of the 20th century.

Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXnTT2OtHd0

In this chilling episode, filmmaker Liam Le Guillou takes us deep inside A Cursed Man - his harrowing real-life journey into the world of black magic and satanic rituals. What begins as a sceptical social experiment soon spirals into a terrifying descent, as Liam invites powerful practitioners to place real curses on him. Facing nightmares, unexplained anxiety, and even a blood pact with a Satan-worshipping shaman, he confronts the true cost of dabbling with the unknown. Liam opens up about the haunting effects on his life and family, the raw truths behind magic, and the uphill battles of independent filmmaking - from losing control to fighting for distribution. This is not just a story about curses - it’s about belief, fear, and the invisible forces that may be far more real than we think.Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhWoOMcAveA&t=23sSubscribe for more from Factual America: ⁠http://bit.ly/AlamoPictures⁠

"One of the deadliest tornadoes in US history is headed directly for their high school graduation…” In this episode, filmmaker Alexandra Lacey takes us inside her powerful new Netflix documentary, Twister: Caught in the Storm, a raw and moving look at life in Joplin, Missouri, after a catastrophic natural disaster.

Alexandra shares how the disaster reshaped a generation of young people and reflects on the resilience, identity, and community spirit that emerged in the storm’s aftermath. She opens up about the emotional weight of telling true stories, the creative risks she took behind the camera, and what it means to capture hope in the face of devastation. Blending her British-American lens, she offers unique insight into the fast-paced world of documentary filmmaking.

Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeUxy239Muk

Follow Alexandra Lacey on Instagram: @lacey_docs

In this episode, Matthew sits down with acclaimed filmmaker R.J. Cutler to discuss his latest Netflix documentary, 'Martha'. Cutler offers fascinating insights into the making of the film, which chronicles the life and career of Martha Stewart, the iconic businesswoman and lifestyle guru.

Discover how Cutler gained unprecedented access to Stewart and her vast personal archives, and learn about the challenges he faced in capturing her complex story. The director shares his perspective on Stewart's visionary approach to business, her resilience in the face of adversity, and her impact on American culture.

Cutler also addresses Stewart's public critique of the documentary, offering a balanced and thoughtful response. This episode provides a deep dive into the filmmaking process, the art of storytelling, and the nuances of portraying a living legend.

Whether you're a fan of Martha Stewart, interested in documentary filmmaking, or curious about American cultural icons, this episode offers unique insights and behind-the-scenes details you won't want to miss.

Watch the episode at https://www.factualamerica.com

Unsolved murders, paranormal activity, and UFOs. Unsolved Mysteries, the iconic docu-series that was a staple of TV in the 80s and 90s is back on Netflix with Volume 5.

Joining Matthew Sherwood on Factual America is multiple Emmy nominated filmmaker Terry Dunn Meurer, the co-creator and producer of Unsolved Mysteries. She shares the secrets of Unsolved Mysteries’ success and why we have such a fascination with true crime and the unexplained.

The filmmaker also describes the different cases the new series investigates, how many cases on Unsolved Mysteries have been solved, and what it’s like working with law enforcement.

Watch the episode at https://factualamerica.com

“Nobody knows what these body parts are used for or who is doing this, it’s the most unexplainable case I’ve ever seen.” – Terry Dunn Meurer

“Our focus is let’s solve this. Our job isn’t to judge law enforcement, our job is to help law enforcement solve these cases.” – Terry Dunn Meurer

Stopping the Steal gives an inside account of Donald Trump's challenge to the 2020 presidential election results and how an unsung group of Republican politicians, staffers, and election officials prevented the election from being stolen.

Joining Matthew Sherwood on Factual America is Emmy and Bafta-winning director and producer Dan Reed. He discusses why he decided to interview pro-Trump Republicans about the election and the benefits he experienced being a British reporter.

Dan explains what caused the January 6th riots and why previous Trump loyalists spoke out against him. He also reveals Trump's true thoughts about the election results. 

Watch the episode at https://factualamerica.com

“They’re all loyal conservative pro-Trump Republicans and these are the people who give the inside story of the attempt to steal the 2020 election.” – Dan Reed

“What many people don’t realise is January 6th is the end. It’s like switching on the TV and seeing the last 2 minutes of the film but the movie started a long time before that.” – Dan Reed

In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon surveys the studio as Paul records his new album Seven Psalms while reflecting on his six-decade career and wrestling with the issues of faith and mortality.

Joining Matthew Sherwood on Factual America is Oscar-winning director Alex Gibney, who discusses the impact Paul Simon had on American culture and music, the inspiration behind Paul’s album Seven Psalms, and the challenges of making a documentary about a musical icon.

Alex explains his own creative process, the lessons he’s learned from a career in film, and his upcoming film on Elon Musk. We learn what he looks for when choosing to get involved in a project and the skills you need to be a successful documentary filmmaker.

Watch the episode at https://factualamerica.com

“He’s one of the greatest songwriters ever in terms of rock music. He’s always been driven to the sounds at the limit of what he can hear, intriguing sounds that are completely different to his tradition or experience.” – Alex Gibney

“I started out making documentaries that I thought I knew what was important early on and I discovered that was a terrible way to make films, because if you weren’t exploring and open to the things in front of you that you didn't expect then you were making a boring film. So you have to be open to the idea that things are going to explode.” – Alex Gibney

“It’s a magical part of the movie because it’s rare in a set that an audience loves a song so much that they make you play it again right away.” – Alex Gibney

Dancing For The Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult explores the experiences of a group of prominent TikTok dancers who are trapped in a cult masquerading as a management company. In the process the film uncovers disturbing truths about the agenda of Robert Shinn, the cult’s founder and pastor of the Shekinah Church.

Joining Matthew Sherwood on Factual America are executive producers Jessica Acevedo and director Derek Doneen, who discuss the making of the film and the challenges of interviewing people who are still in the depths of an abusive and traumatic environment.

The filmmakers explain how it takes a long time to recover from leaving a cult, how to build trust with the people you are documenting, and how the cult responded to the wave of criticism and bad publicity. In the end their film reveals so much about the lure of fame, the importance of faith and the bond of family. 

Watch the episode at https://factualamerica.com

“Nobody sets out to join a cult. Cult leaders don't come at you full blast with their manipulations on display, it’s little by little slowly inching you in over time so you’re not realising what’s happening.” – Derek Doneen

“Financial abuse and control happened there. It wasn’t until they started sharing some of those experiences that they realised that it was happening to them too and unravelled what they thought was a faith-based positive environment and showed it was really quite sinister.” – Jessica Acevedo

“The assumption is that people are fine and okay, but continue to dig deeper, ask the questions, have patience and meet people where they’re at because you never really know what someone’s going through. What you see on social media can be one thing but it’s worth asking how they’re doing.” – Jessica Acevedo