On this week’s podcast, you’ll hear from legendary producer Norman Lear, the subject of the new documentary Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You, now playing here at the Film Society. You’ll also hear a conversation with Iranian master Abbas Kiarostami from the 50th New York Film Festival. The visionary director passed away last week at the age of 76.

With Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You, directors Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady offer a loving portrait of the now 93-year-old legend, who was the mind behind influential 1970s sitcoms like All in the Family, The Jeffersons, and Maude. The film opened here at the Film Society last weekend, and the directors and subject joined us on opening night for a Q&A. 

Abbas Kiarostami has been at the forefront of Iranian cinema for decades, with films like Taste of Cherry, Close-Up, and Ten pushing the boundaries of the form and captivating people all around the world, including Martin Scorsese and Quentin Tarantino. The director’s final film, Like Someone in Love,  about an unexpected connection between a young sex worker and a widower, had its premiere in the 50th New York Film Festival in 2012. After the film’s packed press screening, the director joined us for a press conference.