Overview
- His family and Zipporah Films announced the Feb. 16 death and did not disclose a cause.
- Across nearly six decades he produced and directed about 45 films through Zipporah Films, with his most recent feature, Menus-Plaisirs — Les Troisgros, released in 2023.
- He was renowned for an observational, narration-free method that immersed viewers in public and cultural institutions and influenced direct-cinema traditions.
- His debut, Titicut Follies (1967), exposed abuses at Bridgewater State Hospital and was legally restricted from public exhibition until 1991.
- Career honors included an honorary Academy Award in 2016, the Venice Film Festival’s Golden Lion for lifetime achievement in 2014, and multiple Emmys; survivors include two sons and three grandchildren.