By Kathryn O’Kane
There is no doubt that the “true crime” documentary genre is thriving and that such film and television projects are enjoying unprecedented buzz. Studies show that women are their biggest audience, and broadcasters are taking notice. By the nature of their work, non-fiction storytellers are always considering how to present and represent their subjects through the creative process. But how is that further complicated in the “true crime” space, when the stakes might literally be life or death? Where do they draw the line between journalism and entertainment?
New York Women in Film and Television (NYWIFT) is hosting a panel of filmmakers and network executives who will discuss the brass tacks of telling these stories and examine their ethical boundaries and sense of responsibility in developing relationships with individuals whose lives or livelihoods are on the line.
NYWIFT board member Kathryn O’Kane sat down with Peabody Award-winning documentary filmmaker Bari Pearlman, who is also the Director/Producer of two forthcoming episodes of CNN Death Row Stories (Jigsaw/Sundance Productions), to talk about this phenomenon ahead of their upcoming panel: True Crime Stories: Relationships and Responsibilities on Wednesday, October 25th, 2017, at the Tribeca Film Center.
Kathryn O’Kane: Bari, you and I have known each other a long time, since our very first project together for Court TV, Shots in the Dark, a 90-minute special about crime scene photography directed by Derek Cianfrance. You’ve gone on to tell stories on a wide-variety of subject matter, from directing Daughters of Wisdom, a quiet and contemplative feature documentary about the first Buddhist nuns to live in a monastery in eastern Tibet to producing How to Dance in Ohio, a portrait of young adults with autism preparing for a spring formal dance. Is there a theme to the projects you chose?
Bari Pearlman: In the documentary films I have directed or produced, I’ve explored a range of seemingly unrelated subjects but if I had to point to something that unifies them it’s that they are all ways of exploring the idea of community, more specifically intentional community. I am fascinated by the question of what makes people choose who and what they identify with, what the implications are of having that identity, and how they navigate that choice. Thinking about the work that I’ve done recently on Death Row Stories, I’ve widened that idea to focus on the flipside of individual choice, where communities and society at large are operating within a judicial system that may not be serving its members fairly or humanely.
busyk
Related Posts
NYWIFT @ Sundance: In Conversation with Ruth Ann Harnisch
NYWIFT Member and organizational supporter Ruth Ann Harnisch heads to the 2026 Sundance Film Festival as an executive producer of two wildly different but equally impactful documentary films: Seized and Cookie Queens. Seized, directed by Sharon Liese and premiering in the U.S. Documentary Competition, follows along as the small town of Marion, Kansas, is thrust into the international spotlight after a police raid on the Marion County Record and the death of its 98-year-old co-owner. A fierce debate ignites about the abuse of power, journalistic ethics, local journalism, and the United States Constitution. Cookie Queens, directed by Alysa Nahmias, premieres in the Family Matinee lineup. It’s Girl Scout Cookie season, and four tenacious girls strive to be a top-selling “Cookie Queen,” navigating an $800 million business in which childhood and ambition collide. On screen and off, Ruth Ann has been a bold first-money funder of people and projects that challenge entrenched power and move culture toward greater equity. She spoke to us about her two exciting new projects.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Hyten Davidson
Welcome to NYWIFT, Hyten Davidson! Hyten Davidson is a SAG-AFTRA actor and award-winning screenwriter, currently serving as one-third of Maternity Leave Films after years of touring the festival circuit with various films. Her short film The West Virginian Starfish, which she wrote and co-directed, won the Long Island Film Expo award for Best Short Film, in addition to a host of other nominations and screenwriting wins. Hyten has additionally been a Featured Female Filmmaker nominee at the Shortcut 100 International Film Festival, PANO grant recipient, and Mary W. Shelley Scholarship winner from the Horror Writers Association. In our interview, Hyten discussed her approach to writing horror, representing motherhood and female-driven stories in film, and her upcoming film Something of a Monster.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Dolores Diaz
Welcome to NYWIFT, Dolores Diaz! Dolores Diaz is a Queens, NY native who grew up in a theater and musical theater world through Once Upon a Time in Richmond Hill. She later attended the American Academy of the Dramatic Arts and joined Angry Jellow Bubbles, an all-female sketch comedy group directed by Eva Minemar. While attending the MA Media and Social Change program at CUNY Queens College, Dolores served as an assistant to media theorist Douglas Rushkoff and co-produced the 1st Annual Queens College Arts Festival. She founded the production company Mulberry Queens Films LLC with Eva Minemar in 2018, and the duo has worked together on features, shorts, music videos, and documentaries. Dolores is now the Chair of the Board for Once Upon a Time Inc. and the Co-League Director for NICA (National Interscholastic Cycling Association), NY. In our interview, Dolores discussed her production company, transitioning from theater to film, and the project that left the biggest impact on her.
READ MOREMeet the New NYWIFT Member: Louisa Brown
Welcome to NYWIFT, Louisa Brown! Blogger Marchelle Thurman had the pleasure of interviewing Louisa Brown. She is a storyteller, connector, and unapologetic champion of underrepresented voices in film and media. At Urbanworld Film Festival, she builds bridges between artists, audiences, and cultural institutions, creating moments that matter. She’s a founding member of M.A.D.E., where she produces the award-winning MADE Talks series, celebrating Black creativity and bold ideas. Her own films, including Family Time and Mila and Mimi Too, have won Lionsgate recognition and festival accolades. In addition, she has collaborated on various projects, headed initiatives for commercial brands, and serves on the management team for musical artist Laila! Louisa brings heart, humor, and a global perspective to everything she does.
READ MORE
