JRE 1592 · June 27, 2024

Bryan Fogel

filmpoliticscrimejournalism

Who is Bryan Fogel?

Filmmaker Bryan Fogel's "Icarus" won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2018. His newest documentary, "The Dissident", is an investigation of the death of Saudi Arabian "Washington Post" journalist Jamal Khashoggi, murdered at the hands of his own government. "The Dissident" is now available On Demand and in theaters.

Topics and Timestamps

01Bryan Fogel discusses how he transitioned from making Icarus to investigating Jamal Khashoggi's murder for The Dissident
02The documentary reveals details about Saudi Arabia's involvement in Khashoggi's death and the geopolitical implications
03Fogel explains the challenges of making a politically sensitive documentary and dealing with Saudi government pressure
04The conversation covers the relationship between documentaries, journalism, and activism in modern filmmaking
05Discussion of how The Dissident expanded beyond Khashoggi's story to examine broader issues of dissent and government suppression
06Fogel shares insights about distributing controversial documentaries in the current media landscape
▶Bryan explains the journey from Icarus to The Dissident0:00:00
▶Discussion of what happened to Jamal Khashoggi and the investigation process0:15:00
▶Fogel describes the challenges of making a film that implicates Saudi Arabia0:35:00
▶Conversation about documentaries as activism versus journalism0:55:00
▶Discussion of distributing The Dissident and its impact1:15:00

The Show

Bryan Fogel sits down with Joe to talk about The Dissident, his follow-up to the Oscar-winning Icarus. Unlike his first documentary which accidentally became a geopolitical thriller, The Dissident was intentionally designed as an investigation into the death of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi and Saudi Arabia's role in his murder.

Fogel explains that after Icarus won the Academy Award, he found himself in a unique position where he had credibility and resources to tackle a major story. The Dissident became his focus because the Khashoggi case represented everything he found compelling about documentary filmmaking: real stakes, human tragedy, and institutional power structures at play. He walks through how he gained access to sources and pieced together what happened at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

The conversation digs into the challenges of making a documentary that directly implicates a powerful nation-state. Fogel discusses the geopolitical landscape and how The Dissident went beyond just telling Khashoggi's story to exploring themes of dissent, free speech, and the cost of challenging authoritarian regimes. He describes the research process and how he verified information while operating with the knowledge that his film would have serious real-world consequences.

Joe and Bryan also discuss the role of documentary filmmakers in the modern era, whether they're journalists or activists or something in between. Fogel reflects on how technology and streaming platforms have changed documentary distribution and reach, but also how controversial content still faces barriers. The discussion touches on the responsibility filmmakers have when telling these kinds of stories and the pressure that comes with knowing your work might affect geopolitical relations.

Throughout the conversation, Fogel emphasizes the human element of his filmmaking. This isn't just about exposing government wrongdoing; it's about understanding why someone like Khashoggi was willing to risk everything to speak truth to power, and what that says about our world.

Best Quotes

“When Icarus won the Oscar, I realized I had this platform and credibility that I could use to tell a story that really mattered”

— Bryan Fogel