Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, with a cinematic journey spanning over three decades, have earned acclaim as directors, writers, producers, and editors. Their prolific careers have garnered a remarkable array of accolades, including two Academy Awards, five Emmy Awards, and three Peabody Awards. Recognized globally, they have been showcased at prestigious institutions such as London’s Institute of Contemporary Art, Taiwan’s Taipei International Film Festival, Montreal’s Cinémathéque Québécoise, and Zurich’s Pink Apple Film Festival.

Renowned for their groundbreaking documentary features, Epstein & Friedman achieved their earliest success with The Times of Harvey Milk (1984), which secured Epstein his inaugural Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.  In 1987, the dynamic duo established Telling Pictures in San Francisco, marking the genesis of their collaborative filmmaking journey. Sara Ciplickas discusses their journey as collaborative voices in filmmaking for LGBTQ+ representation in Hollywood cinema through their inaugural joint effort, Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt (1989), a powerful documentary chronicling the initial decade of the AIDS epidemic in the U.S. which won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature and a Peabody Award.

Listen to the interview here.



Follow our interviewees online:
Rob Epstein on IMDb, Instagram
Jeffrey Friedman on IMDb, Instagram

Follow our interview host online:
Sara Ciplickas on Letterboxd, Instagram, and Twitter

Resources:
The Criterion Channel Story
Telling Pictures

Where to watch Taylor Mac’s 24-Decade History of Popular Music

Have questions? Email info@therollingtape.com

Credits:

  • Theme music by Eugene Rocco Utley
  • Artwork by Danny Jarabek
  • Edited by Danny Jarabek

The Rolling Tape is a multimedia film and entertainment outlet for podcasts, online publications, and film production. The podcast is a TRT production covering weekly film reviews, industry updates, and awards season news.

Find The Rolling Tape everywhere:

Podcast Website Link
Website & Publications: www.therollingtape.com
Instagram: @therollingtape
Twitter: @therollingtape
Letterboxd: @therollingtape

Support our team on Linktree