Levison is an Emmy- and Peabody-winning producer/director based in NYC. Her most recent producing efforts include Women in Blue (Tribeca Film Festival 2020/Independent Lens) and Emmy-nominated Made in Boise(AFI DOCS 2019/Independent Lens). Previous producing credits include 32 Pills: My Sister’s Suicide (HBO 2017), Emmy-nominated Personal Statement(PBS 2018), and her independent directorial/producing debut, Lemon(PBS 2011). Beth is the founder of Hazel Pictures, a co-founder of the Documentary Producers Alliance (DPA), producing faculty with the School of Visual Arts (SVA), and a member of AMPAS.
Tonight: Filmmakers, Pulitzer Prize winner to discuss 'Storm Lake' documentary on local journalism
Pulitzer Prize-winning editor Art Cullen of The Storm Lake Times Pilot and award-winning directors Beth Levison and Jerry Risius will discuss the role of independent local journalism following the screening of the documentary “Storm Lake” at 6 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 12.
The documentary, directed by Levison and Iowa native Jerry Risius, chronicles the outsize role of The Storm Lake Times, a family-run newspaper helmed by Cullen, in the life of the small Iowa town it covers. It examines its struggle to survive in a changing media landscape as it explores the larger issue of the importance of independent local journalism for the survival of American democracy.
Tickets cost $5 for members and $15 for non-members. You must be signed in to the NPC website to receive the member discount. Click here to register and purchase your tickets.
Beth Levison
Art Cullen Photo by Tom Wallace
Cullen is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, editor of The Storm Lake Times (a family-run weekly newspaper in small-town Iowa), and author of the new book, Storm Lake: A Chronicle of Change, Resilience, and Hope from a Heartland Newspaper. Cullen has made it his life’s work to ask the big questions, speak truth to power, and share the struggles and successes of his unique community of Storm Lake, Iowa (Census pop. 10,076).
Jerry Risius
Risius is a three-time Emmy-nominated director/director of photography. His work includes The Kingmaker (Toronto International Film Festival 2019), Generation Wealth (Sundance 2018), Seeing Allred (Sundance 2018/Netflix), Brave New Voices (HBO 2009), The Devil Came on Horseback (Sundance 2007), and a field producer/DP on Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations and Parts Unknown series.
He grew up working on his family's farm in Iowa, attended the University of Iowa, and joined the Peace Corps in the late 80s. In 1990, he moved to New York to pursue a career in documentary filmmaking.
To submit a question in advance for the speaker, put STORM LAKE in the subject line and email it to [email protected]. The deadline for submitting questions in advance is 2 p.m. on the day of the screening