Variety & Rolling Stone’s Truth Seekers Summit, presented by Paramount+, is dedicated to honoring those who prioritize the discovery of truth. Curated by the editors of Variety and Rolling Stone, the collection of panelists at this year’s annual summit showcased a remarkable lineup of documentary filmmakers, political journalists and overall advocates for justice. The event featured thought-provoking discussions and insights from renowned figures such as acclaimed documentary maker Alex Gibney, comedian and host Amber Ruffin, the tireless crusaders behind the “Unsolved Mysteries” series and many more.
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Key moments i ncluded a panel of political correspondents and anchors comprised of Abby Phillip, Yamiche Alcindor, Katy Tur, Tony Dokoupil, and Geoff Bennett, who discussed the realities and hypocrisies of covering former President Donald Trump. CBS News President Susan Zirinsky also joined the conference to discuss the documentary “We Will Dance Again.” The event concluded with the presentation of the Truth Seekers Award to journalist E. Jean Carroll.
Below is a recap of the conversations from the Truth Seekers Summit.
Documentary Panel
Five of the leading documentarians in the film industry gathered to discuss where the medium is, and where it’s going. Alex Stapleton (“God Save Texas”, “How Music Got Free”); Rahman Ali Bugg (“Exposing Parchman,” “Welcome to Rap City”); Fisher Stevens (“Beckham”); Adam Bhala Lough (“Telemarketers”); and Lana Wilson (“Look Into My Eyes”) spoke in a panel moderated by V ariety chief correspondent Daniel D’Addario.
The conversation kicked off with D’Addario’s question about how the filmmakers choose their subjects: Wilson, whose new film is about psychics in New York City, responded that, “You have to have this vision in your head you’re running toward that is rich enough to sustain you for two or three years. It can’t be simple.”
Stevens remarked that he hadn’t been interested at all in David Beckham when asked to make a documentary about him, but “I started digging and talking to people, and I was like, ‘Oh, this guy is not who I thought he was.’ Which is what a great documentary is.”
The panelists also spoke to the idea of objectivity in filmmaking, which they agreed is not possible, or even a worthy goal. Indeed, these filmmakers’ personal perspective infuses their work. Describing telling the very personal family narrative at the heart of “God Save Texas,” Stapleton, herself a Texan, said “It was through the community that we put together that encouraged me. It was giving me permission to tell my story.”
“Telemarketers” is a family story of a different sort — a wild and raucous journey kicked off by an experience Lough’s cousin had years ago — and Lough said breaking the fourth wall was part of the fun. “We had to figure out how we were going to explain” the old footage his cousin shot, Lough said. “We just embraced it and made it part of the project.” And Bugg described the way he connects with his subjects: “I’m a very emotional person. I’m very open. So I thrive on my connection with my subjects. I can connect with people because I see myself in them.” On a day of connection and of celebrating the search for truth, these career filmmakers made for a major highlight.
Watch the full conversation above.
Trailblazers in Investigative Reporting
Host and executive producer of “America’s Most Wanted” John Walsh and his son/co-host Callahan Walsh spoke at a panel moderated by Rolling Stone’s chief research editor, Brenna Ehrlich, to discuss the revival of “America’s Most Wanted” and their ongoing efforts in child protection and crime-fighting.
The conversation delved into their motivations, the evolution of crime-solving and their personal dedication to justice — rooted in the tragic loss of John’s son, Adam, in 1981.
John shared how the internet has since transformed their approach, saying, “The world became a much smaller place for these dirtbags,” highlighting the show’s global impact in capturing fugitives. Callahan Walsh expressed pride in following his father’s footsteps, noting, “If Adam’s song is to continue, then we must do the singing.”
Together, they emphasized the critical role of public tips in their success, with John Walsh reflecting on the program’s legacy: “We caught 1,200 guys…more than any FBI agent or any FBI field office.” The panel underscored their unwavering commitment to justice and their challenges in selecting cases to feature on the show.
Watch the full conversation above.
Fireside Chat with Nancy Grace, Host, ‘Crime Stories with Nancy Grace’ and Founder/Publisher of CrimeOnline
Some consider Nancy Grace to be the godmother of true crime. She started as a special prosecutor for the Georgia District Attorney’s office and has since created a true crime empire through her broadcasting career, novels, “Crime Online” website, and daily podcast, “Crime Stories with Nancy Grace.”
Grace joined Variety executive editor Tatiana Seigel for a fireside chat about her time working in the world of crime. Grace immediately made it clear that she doesn’t see true crime as a genre. In 1979, her fiancé, Keith Griffin, was murdered shortly before their wedding, which inspired her to go to law school.
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Griffin’s tragic death also made her realize for the victims of true crime, it is more than someone’s entertainment, it is their entire life. “For crime victims, it’s not a genre. It’s real. These are real people that are going through real trauma,” Grace said. “I know what it feels like to be a crime victim. I know what it feels like standing there at that burial site. I know what it feels like to go in front of a jury and say, ‘This is what happened,’ and to know you cannot get it wrong. And at the end, you think you’re going to be all excited and go out and celebrate. It’s not like that. You just kind of go like, ‘Okay, all right, who’s next?’”
Watch the full conversation above.
Best Mashup – Politics, Humor, Pop Culture
Variety’s Best Mashup: Politics, Humor, Pop Culture panel was next. Comedians and commentators Amber Ruffin, Lewis Black, Alex Edelman and Charlamagne Tha God joined TV Critic Aramide Tinubu in a lively conversation touching on a wide range of topics. From the current unprecedented Presidential election cycle to whether it’s a comedian’s responsibility to speak about politics, there were gems, nuggets and laughs for the entire 45-minute conversation.
During the discussion, the panelists reflected on how they determined which subjects were worth responding to publicly and how quickly they brought a topic to their respective audiences. “When you do topical comedy, you have to wonder how it’s going to age,” Edelman said. The “Just for Us” Tony Award winner also explained that as he’s gotten more popular, he has been more careful about what he says.
The political landscape has changed so much in the past month. While the panelists laughed at the absurdity of what’s happening in the country, Charlamagne Tha God also cautioned the audience to truly pay attention. “It’s really up to us to stay focused on the issues and not get caught up in the vibes,” he said.
From quips about Ruffin’s carefully curated social media that has enabled her to safeguard her mental health to Black’s reflections on how quickly the mood of the comedy space has shifted since President Joe Biden announced he would not be seeking reelection, the Politics, Humor and Pop Culture Panel was an electric reflection of society’s current state, and how we’re doing our best to try sorting through it.
Watch the full conversation above.
True Crime Masters Tell All
The director of “MoivePass MoiveCrash” Muta’Ali Muhammad, cast member and executive producer of “American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders” Christian Hansen, host and co-creator of “Black Girl Gone” Amara Cofer, director of “Trials of Gabriel Fernandez” Brian Knappenberger, creator and executive producer of “The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst Parts 1 & 2” Andrew Jarecki and director of “Born in Synanon” Geeta Gandbhir joined the True Crime Masters Tell All panel to discuss how they brought 2024’s biggest true crime documentaries to life. The conversation was moderated by Rolling Stone Culture writer CT Jones.
Creating a documentary can sometimes take years, and it is difficult for a creator to not get personally involved. For Cofer, being a podcast host helps maintain a level of anonymity. However, she still had fears about fans focusing on her rather than the stories of “Black Girl Gone.”
“My husband was like, ‘You should put yourself on camera.’ And I’ve always been like ‘I don’t want to make this about me.’ I don’t want people to focus on me as the storyteller. I just want them to listen to the stories,” Cofer said. “Once you grow a fan base, then people do want to know more about you and they feel like they are connected to you, and so you want to find a balance.”
Watch the full conversation above.
Keynote Conversation with Filmmaker Alex Gibney: ‘Wise Guy: David Chase and the Sopranos’
Oscar-winning documentarian Alex Gibney sat down with Rolling Stone CEO Gus Wenner to chat about his filmmaking career and his new documentary on the making of “The Sopranos,” “Wise Guy.”
When Gibney was first approached by HBO to do a “Sopranos” documentary, he “wasn’t sure” he wanted to do a “promo thing” surrounding the iconic mob drama series. But after talking with “The Sopranos” creator and head writer David Chase, he immediately saw the potential in the themes surrounding the show’s conception.
“It seemed to me that there was something really important about doing the origin story of ‘The Sopranos’ right now. Because it seemed like when David was making ‘The Sopranos,’ it wasn’t something that any of the network TV executives wanted to hear about,” Gibney said. “But they found a way with this fledgling network, HBO, to once again engage that conversation between filmmakers and audiences. So I thought that’s a really good story. And it turned out that the details of the story were even better in terms of how it got made, who was cast and all that.”
Watch the full conversation above.
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