Oscar-winning director Alex Gibney joins Factual America to discuss his film In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon. The two-part documentary surveys the studio as Paul records his new album Seven Psalms while reflecting on his six-decade career and wrestling with the issues of faith and mortality.

Alex also 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.

In a career lasting over fifty years, Carlos Santana has reached the heights of brilliance as a musician, yet still remains thoroughly grounded as a man. In Carlos, director Rudy Valdez finds out how Santana has managed this seemingly impossible feat as he explores Carlos’s life, art, and spiritual journey. Rudy joins Matthew Sherwood to share what it was like making the film and working with a true rock legend.

In Maestra, Maggie Contreras follows a group of women from all over the world as they prepare for and take part in a women only competition to find the best musical conductor among them. All the competitors have had to make sacrifices for La Maestra, but only one will be able to claim the life-changing prize. Maggie joins Matthew Sherwood to discuss her film, the male-centric past of conducting, its physical nature, and the loneliness of preparing to lead an orchestra. She also highlights the diverse and surprising backgrounds of some of the competitors. Together, she and Matthew shed light on a new and exciting aspect of classical music.

Experience the rise of iconic New York bands, such as The Strokes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs & LCD Soundsystem, and how 9/11 impacted their success. With archival footage and interviews with musicans themselves, meet them in the bathroom to explore their friendship-driven journeys.

32 Sounds is both an exploration and meditation. In it, inspired by a conversation with composer Annea Lockwood, Sam Green goes on a journey that takes him from nature to film studios, the purring of cats to silence. Sound, he tells Matthew Sherwood, is mysterious and even ephemeral, but listening to it can be both intensely pleasurable and even ground you as a person. All the senses are wonderful. Sound, though, is a wonder. Listen, and find out why.

It’s 2019, and Jason Isbell is recording his latest album: Reunions. As he does so, he discusses his life and music with director, Sam Jones. The result is Jason Isbell: Running With Our Eyes Closed, a documentary that explores Jason’s childhood trauma, his addictions, music, and marriage to fellow musician Amanda Shires, as well as the challenges of living through the Covid pandemic. Sam joins Matthew Sherwood to discuss the film, its star, and the importance of embracing the unexpected.

In the summer of 2002, Superstar DJ Fatboy Slim (Norman Cook) decided to hold a free concert on the beach in Brighton, on the south coast of England. 50,000 people were expected to attend. By the time the iconic DJ took to the stage, however, 250,000 fans were waiting for him to begin. Using footage and photography from Cook’s own archive, and fans who were there, Right Here, Right Now tells the story of what happened on an unforgettable and never-to-be-repeated day in music and British history.

Netflix docuseries 'Trainwreck: Woodstock '99' casts a new light behind the scenes of three days of utter chaos at the 1999 festival.

HBO Max docuseries 'Menudo: Forever Young' tells the uplifting and tragic story of the first international boy band.

'Fiddler’s Journey to the Big Screen' captures the cultural phenomenon of the iconic movie musical 'Fiddler on the Roof.'

"In the Court of the Crimson King" (2022) captures life on the road with the legendary rock band King Crimson.

'Brian Wilson: Long Promised Road' follows The Beach Boys co-founder through LA as he reflects on his life, music and battling mental illness.

HBO's documentary 'Listening to Kenny G' sheds light on the best-selling instrumentalist of all time and the polarising reactions to his music.

'Under the Volcano' (2021) by Gracie Otto, documents the incredible story of AIR Studios Montserrat, the studio behind the 80s' biggest hits.

'Mary J Blige's My Life' (2021) by Vanessa Roth and Amazon Studios, tells the story behind the making of MJB's seminal 1994 album.

‘Moby Doc’ (2021), a film about Moby's life, career and activism, is getting released online on May 20th, along his new album 'Reprise.'

In "Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell" (2021), Grammy awarded director Emmet Malloy tells a story about the rap legend The Notorious B.I.G.