Calendar – Past Event

Contemporary documentarians will explore the rapidly-changing landscape and increasing profile of documentary filmmaking in "The Rise of Nonfiction Movies," the latest installment of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' John Huston Lecture series, on Wednesday, October 26, at 7:30 p.m. at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. The evening will be moderated by R.J. Cutler, producer-director of The September Issue (2009) and producer of The War Room (1993).

While information may be spreading faster and distribution choices are evolving at a dizzying pace, nonfiction filmmakers continue to find cutting-edge solutions and storytelling forms to prove that truth is often better than fiction. Despite the significant hurdles their producers and distributors often face, theatrical documentaries have gained a newfound popularity, in many cases because of their willingness to challenge the status quo and delve into the drama, humor and fascination of real life.

Panelists for the evening include Amir Bar-Lev, director of "The Tillman Story" (2010) and producer-director of My Kid Could Paint That (2007); Davis Guggenheim, director of Waiting for ‘Superman' (2010) and Oscar®-winning documentary An Inconvenient Truth (2006); Academy Award®-nominated documentarian Lourdes Portillo, producer of Las Madres-The Mothers of Plaza de Mayo (1985) and producer-director of Señorita Extraviada (2002); Ricki Stern, director of Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work (2010) and The Devil Came on Horseback (2007), Molly Thompson, executive producer of Client 9: The Rise and Fall of Eliot Spitzer (2010) and Jesus Camp (2006); and Diane Weyermann, executive producer of Casino Jack and the United States of Money (2010) and Food, Inc. (2009).

Tickets for "The Rise of Non-Fiction Movies" are $5 for the general public and $3 for Academy members and students with a valid ID. They may be purchased online at www.oscars.org, by mail, in person at the Academy during regular business hours or, depending on availability, on the night of the program when the doors open at 6:30 p.m. The Samuel Goldwyn Theater is located at 8949 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills. For more information, call (310) 247-3600 or visit www.oscars.org.