Moment of Truth: 2010's Oscar-Nominated Documentarians Talk to Movieline

Your film has the backing of a conventional distributor, but more and more documentary filmmakers are choosing to self-distribute. What's your take on the advantages/disadvantages of doing it yourself?

Psihoyos: There's nothing like the power of a big machine working for you. It's hard enough to make a film, I cannot imagine the added burden of trying to market one.

Erlich: Our distributor is giving the film a smart and very strategic national release, but being an independent -- like us -- has limited resources to invest. We're are the only film in the doc category that is not being distributed by a major studio so we have gained our edge mainly by means of very sharp media outreach. We have worked with Peter Broderick to separate rights to the film and dole them out carefully.

Goldsmith: We have a small but aggressive theatrical distributor, First Run Features. Our educational distributor is New Day Films, a filmmakers' social action co-op I've been a part of for 14 years, which combines the best of self-distribution with collective experience, branding and group innovation. International distribution is getting expert handling from Films Transit. Self-distribution keeps you close to the action and connected to your film, but it is time-consuming. And there is no substitute for expertise and experience.

Kenner: It is really hard getting documentaries out into the world. Food Inc. came out at a great time. It really became part of a growing food movement, that helped us tremendously. The press was drawn to the subject. Even with a distributor it takes a tremendous amount of time, and without one I think it may be even more difficult. I have seen so many good and deserving films that are not finding a home.

Who is accompanying you to the Oscars?

Kenner: My beautiful wife, Marguerite. She will actually be wearing an organic dress to the Awards.

Goldsmith: My girlfriend Lauren, my daughter Emma and a few colleagues from the production. And of course, Dan and Patricia Ellsberg.

Erlich: Daniel and Patricia Ellsberg, my husband Nick Bertoni (who is my sound recordist and prop master for the film) and my son Aleksis, a freshman at UC Santa Cruz who worked as a PA on the film.

Østergaard: Lise [Lense-Møller], the producer, and I will be accompanied by U Gawsitha, one of the monk leaders who frequently appears in the film and also Aye Chan Naing who is director of the DVB [Democratic Voice of Burma] and represents all of the VJs.

Psihoyos: The star of our film, Ric O'Barry -- my wife Viki is in the balcony -- God bless her. The friends with money that made this film happen were selfless in giving up their seats to the people that built the film.

Cammisa: My Mother. Throughout my life, she has supported me in every way possible. She deserves that walk down the red carpet!

How do you follow this? What's your next project?

Kenner: I always like doing new and different types of projects. As far as my next film, I hope to make a small, personal film with political undertones.

Psihoyos: I'm working on it now, and I'm more excited about this one than The Cove because now I have better ideas on how to tackle a bigger, more difficult subject. The Cove was our (Oceanic Preservation Society's) first film, but the awards to me are the collateral in trying to solve the issue. The real reward will come when we see real change in humanity from making our films.

Erlich: I have a folder with 10 ideas and no time to begin that process. When the dust settles I'll figure it out. It will be a social-issue doc and perhaps more verite style. I'd like to experiment with that approach.

Goldsmith: That, my friend, is a very good question.

Pages: 1 2 3