141 boxes. That’s a lot of stuff. But, if that “stuff” happens to be the Pauli Murray Papers at Harvard’s Schlesinger Library, then you may well have just struck documentary gold. Filmmakers Betsy West and Julie Cohen first learned of Murray when they were in the throes of research for their Oscar-nominated documentary “RBG” about Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Later, after immersing themselves in those archives (in addition to speaking to scholars and those who knew Murray), West and Cohen were amazed to learn how often this pathbreaking legal scholar and civil and women’s rights pioneer was years ahead of the times.
Recently, Ken and Mike had the opportunity to talk to Betsy and Julie about their deeply moving documentary portrait, “My Name is Pauli Murray” and the creative choices that guided them along the way. How did RBG provide the first clue that led them on this journey? How did they make the decision to consider Murray’s life as a queer, non-binary person, as well as include Murray’s key romantic partnership in the film, even though, during Murray’s own life, those subjects remained private? How was first lady Eleanor Roosevelt’s life changed by knowing Murray? And how did a cameo by Murray’s dog, Roy, in a grainy bit of black-and-white footage, practically steal the show? As Betsy says, “I’m amazed that Pauli isn’t in our history books.” Now, thanks to “My Name is Pauli Murray”, we can say that Murray has gone one step further: Pauli Murray is a star on Amazon Prime. Check out the film there and enjoy our interview.
Hidden Gems:
Theramin: An Electronic Odyssey
First Cousin Once Removed
"Lolla: The Story of Lollapalooza" with Michael John Warren
"Union" with Brett Story, Stephen Maing & Chris Smalls
"Sugarcane" with Julian Brave Noisecat & Emily Kassie
”Four Daughters” with Kaouther Ben Hania
”Stamped from the Beginning” with Roger Ross Williams
Sundance 2024 Documentary Lineup Review with Basil Tsiokos
”32 Sounds” with Sam Green
”Apolonia, Apolonia” with Lea Glob
”Desperate Souls, Dark City and the Legend of Midnight Cowboy” with Susan Margolin & Simon Kilmurry
”Art for Everybody” with Miranda Yousef
Oscar Shortlist 2024 Breakdown with Anne Thompson
Emmy Nominations Breakdown with Scott Feinberg
”Little Richard: I am Everything” with Lisa Cortés
”American Symphony” with Matthew Heineman
”Smoke Sauna Sisterhood” with Anna Hints
”Anselm” with Wim Wenders
”Between Life and Death: Terri Schiavo’s Story” with Amanda Spain & Alex Waterfield
”Beyond Utopia” with Madeleine Gavin
”High on the Hog”, Season 2 with Karis Jagger & Fabienne Toback
”A Town Called Victoria” with Li Lu
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The Multiverse Fancast
Cinema: A to B
I Finally Watched...
Kill James Bond!
Pod Meets World