Factual America Podcast

24/04/2025

We're back! We kick off a new season with the Netflix feature documentary "The Twister: Caught in the Storm" as Matthew Sherwood interviews Alexandra Lacey about her riveting film. Enjoy!

Discover the emotional journey of Joplin, Missouri, after one of the deadliest tornadoes in US history in Alexandra Lacey's Netflix documentary Twister: Caught in the Storm. Explore themes of resilience, community spirit, and hope through this raw, powerful film that dives into the disaster's impact

15/11/2024

In this episode, Matthew Sherwood 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.

Filmmaker R.J. Cutler discusses his Netflix documentary 'Martha', offering insights into Martha Stewart's rise, fall, and enduring impact on American culture.

05/11/2024

It only seems appropriate to start Season 6 of the Factual America podcast with a political doc. 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.

“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

https://www.factualamerica.com/episodes/stopping-the-steal

13/10/2024

Happy birthday, Paul Simon!

At the end of Season 5, Oscar-winning director Alex Gibney joined Matthew Sherwood on Factual America to discuss the impact Paul Simon had on American culture and music, the inspiration behind Paul’s album Seven Psalms (2023), and the challenges of making a documentary about a musical icon.

Alex's film, Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon, surveys the studio as Paul recorded Seven Psalms while reflecting on his six-decade career and wrestling with the issues of faith and mortality.

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.

“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

Film interview with Alex Gibney, director behind the 2024 documentary "In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon" on MGM Plus

07/03/2024

The 1980s were a time of allegation and scandal in America. From the 1980 October Surprise, 1985-87 Iran-Contra Affair, and 1986-91 BCCI scandal, the decade seemed only to be going downhill. And in the midst of it all, the US Justice Department was accused of stealing PROMIS, a piece of software that could be used to create a programme that would allow the US government to spy on whomever used it.

Danny Casolaro was a writer, poet, and investigative journalist. At the start of the 1990s, he began exploring what had happened to PROMIS, and it led him to see the theft of this software as being at the heart of America’s other major scandals. Before he could finish his investigation, however, Danny was found dead in a hotel bathtub, with both his wrists slashed.

Did he kill himself, as the police believed, or was he murdered?

That is the question at the heart of American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders, a new docu-series on Netflix, directed by Zachary Treitz. He and co-executive producer Christian Hansen are Matthew Sherwood’s guests in this episode of Factual America. Together, they discuss what they found as they retraced Danny Casolaro’s footsteps in the last days of his life and what it was like for Zachary watching Christian disappear down a conspiracy rabbit hole before he himself followed him.

In the process Zachary and Christian uncover a murky web of scandal at the heart of American government. Or do they? Which of the incredible stories of Michael Riconosciuto, one of Danny’s major sources, and others can ultimately be believed? The filmmakers race around the country to interview subjects and get to the root of the story – all with the support and patience given to them by Netflix in the making of the series.

Film interview with Christian Hansen, and Zachary Treitz filmmakers behind the 2024 documentary "American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders" on Netflix

19/01/2024

On the night of March 23rd 2015, Denise Huskins and Aaron Quinn were drugged and bound by a mystery assailant who had broken into their home. Denise was then kidnapped. When Aaron called the police the next day, they believed he had murdered her. Two days later, however, Denise – who had been sexually assaulted by her kidnapper – was freed. Now the police believed no crime had been committed at all, and that Aaron and Denise were hoaxers. The psychological thriller Gone Girl had been released just six months before.

In American Nightmare, co-directors Bernadette Higgins and Felicity Morris explore both what happened and, as host Matthew Sherwood puts it, ‘the consequences of our cultural rush to judgement and the damage done when law enforcement and the media decide the truth can’t possibly be true’.

The result is a three-part Netflix series that twists and turns and upends your expectations with every passing minute. In American Nightmare, light becomes dark, and dark turns into light.

On this episode of Factual America, Bernadette and Felicity guide Matthew through Denise and Aaron’s story as well as the making of their series. Among the topics they discuss are how the unfair treatment of women who are victims of sexual crime motivated them to make American Nightmare, the true crime documentary that inspired and shaped the series, the extensive research that went into the making of it, and how American Nightmare offers the opportunity to get viewers to ask questions of themselves and others about how they treat other people.

They discuss the betrayal of trust, self-doubt, and even out-of-body experiences that Denise and Aaron went through. Perhaps most surprising of all, however, is the point of connection that they find between American Nightmare and Pamela: A Love Story, the 2023 documentary about Pamela Anderson.

Film interview with Bernadette Higgins and Felicity Morris, film makers behind the 2024 documentary "American Nightmare" on Netflix

01/12/2023

In 1983 America was overwhelmed by a disaster, the likes of which it had never seen before. Hysteria led to riots; mayhem became the norm. And the reason? Chubby, potato faced toys: the Cabbage Patch Kids.

In this episode of Factual America, Matthew Sherwood meets Dan Goodman, co-executive producer of Billion Dollar Babies, a documentary about the rise and rise of the awkward looking but homely and utterly desirable Cabbage Patch Kids.

They discuss the origin of the Cabbage Patch Kids’ success, which can be traced back to the Post-Depression era but also owes a great deal to the improving economy of the early ‘80s and the increasing availability of credit.

But none of that would have mattered had the Cabbage Patch Kids not had that certain something that made them so special. Despite being mass produced, improved manufacturing techniques gave each doll a seemingly unique appearance. Each one could be ‘adopted’. And, most simply, they looked cute: cute enough to go through hell and high water at the local shopping mall for.

Dan shares how he managed to get the man behind the dolls’ success, Xavier Roberts, onto the doc, while he and Matthew also discuss the roles played in the film by legendary news anchor Connie Chung, and actor Neil Patrick Harris.

The Cabbage Patch Kids represent 80s excess at its best or worst, depending on your point-of-view. Step back in time to enjoy the good, the bad, and the immensely cute of it all with Matthew and Dan!

“You think about these Cabbage Patch Kid riots... and it’s not like we looked at that and thought, ‘Boy, that was a terrible idea!’... Instead, we go the opposite direction... and that’s where we got to this Black Friday mentality.” – Dan Goodman

Film interview with Dan Goodman, film maker behind the 2023 documentary "Billion Dollar Babies" in cinemas

26/10/2023

In this video, we're going to take a look at 15 political documentaries that are worth your time. These documentaries will challenge you, inform you, and entertain you - and they're all worth watching!

Political documentaries can be a great way to learn about the political world, and explore different perspectives on complex issues. Whether you're a politics enthusiast or you're just looking for a different way to spend your time, these documentaries are a great choice!

In this video, we're going to take a look at 15 political documentaries that are worth your time. These documentaries will challenge you, inform you, and ent...

26/10/2023

In this video, we're taking a look at 11 of the most chilling cartel documentaries. These documentaries explore the dark side of the Mexican drug cartels, and will leave you nightmares for weeks.

In this video, we're taking a look at 11 of the most chilling cartel documentaries. These documentaries explore the dark side of the Mexican drug cartels, an...

26/10/2023

Watch 15 documentaries that expose the truth about the world we live in. From banking scandals to government conspiracies, these documentaries will challenge your beliefs about society and the world around you.

Watch 15 documentaries that expose the truth about the world we live in. From banking scandals to government conspiracies, these documentaries will challenge...

26/10/2023

In this video, we're going to share some of our favorite documentaries about America. From documentaries about the history of America to films about the natural and cultural attractions of the USA, this video has something for everyone!

In this video, we're going to share some of our favorite documentaries about America. From documentaries about the history of America to films about the natu...

26/10/2023

Documentary filmmaker Alex Gibney has made some of the most important and influential documentaries of our time. In this list, we've put together some of Gibney's most groundbreaking documentaries, each of which is a must-watch.

From blockbuster stories like Enron to illuminating investigations like to***co marketing, Gibney's films offer an unparalleled view into the complexity and power of society. If you're curious about the world around you, then you need to watch these 15 documentaries by Alex Gibney!

Documentary filmmaker Alex Gibney has made some of the most important and influential documentaries of our time. In this list, we've put together some of Gib...