Richard Peña and Michael Moore. Photo by Julie Cunnah.

Michael Moore stopped by the Film Society recently to discuss his debut documentary Roger & Me (NYFF '89) with Program Director Richard Peña and members of the audience. If you weren't able to make it out to this special presentation from our 50 Years of the New York Film Festival celebration, you are in luck! The Q&A is now online for all to see.

It was Moore's first time seeing the documentary in quite some time and he and his wife got a bit emotional when it began to play. The film is now more than 20 years old and he had a lot to reflect on. Seeing his hometown in shambles, he related how things have only gotten worse since. Meanwhile, Moore's career has come so far since the making of this, his feature debut. In fact, it was the NYFF screening of Roger & Me that launched his career. After receiving an extended ovation back in '89, Moore was approached by Warner Bros. about distributing the documentary. As Michael and Richard mention, this helped set a trend that made documentaries viable entertainment for the typical popcorn crowd.

This chat is full of fun anecdotes and fascinating facts, including Moore's experience in Berlin during the fall of the wall, George Clooney's dating advice, and lots of behind the scenes stories from the making of the film. Check it out, in full, below: