Ken Burns

Background

Since his Academy Award nominated Brooklyn Bridge in 1981, Ken Burns has gone on to direct and produce some of the most acclaimed historical documentaries ever made. The first of his epic documentaries, The Civil War (1990), garnered the largest audience in the history of public television at the time, 40 million viewers. Other epic series have included Baseball (1994) and Jazz (2001). The War is a 14 hour film telling the story of World War II, the greatest worldwide cataclysm in history, through the intimate personal accounts of nearly 40 men and women from four American towns. It was the winner of three Primetime Emmy Awards. The late historian, Stephen Ambrose said, "More Americans get their history from Ken Burns than any other source." The New York Times called Burns "the most accomplished filmmaker of his generation." A few of his many works include The Dust Bowl (2012), Prohibition (2011), and The National Parks: America's Best Idea (2009). He lives in Walpole, New Hampshire, where he cofounded Florentine Films in 1976. We are pleased to share the Q&A portion of the event.