Sam Pollard

Sam Pollard

Birthdate
April 20, 1945 (79 years old)
Place of Birth
Harlem, New York, USA
Known For
Directing

Details

Birthdate
April 20, 1945 (79 years old)
Place of Birth
Harlem, New York, USA
Known For
Directing

Biography

Samuel D. Pollard (born 20 April, 1945; Harlem) is an American documentary director, producer and editor. His films have garnered numerous awards such as Peabodys, Emmys, and an Academy Award nomination. In 2020, the International Documentary Association gave him a career achievement award. Spike Lee, whose films Pollard has edited and produced, described him as being "a master filmmaker." Henry Louis Gates Jr. characterizes his work in this way: "When I think about his documentaries, they add up to a corpus — a way of telling African-American history in its various dimensions."

Sam Pollard's LGBTQ+ Titles

Mr. SOUL!
Mr. SOUL!
Director

Acting (1)

2023
Subject as Self

Directing (40)

Counting The Ballots • Director
• Director
I Was Born This Way • Director
• Director
The Sound of Philadelphia • Director
• Director
Murder in America: The Lynching of Emmett Till • Director
• Director
2024
Ol' Dirty Bastard: A Tale of Two Dirtys • Director
• Director
2024
Photographer • Director (1 episode)
• Director (1 episode)
2023
South to Black Power • Director
• Director
2023
The Harvest: Integrating Mississippi's Schools • Director
• Director
2023
The League • Director
• Director
2023
Max Roach: The Drum Also Waltzes • Director
• Director
2023
Bill Russell: Legend • Director (2 episodes)
• Director (2 episodes)
2022
Lowndes County and the Road to Black Power • Director
• Director
2022
Hostages • Director (2 episodes)
• Director (2 episodes)
2021
Citizen Ashe • Director
• Director
2021
Black Art: In the Absence of Light • Director
• Director
2020
MLK/FBI • Director
• Director
2020
Atlanta's Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children • Director (2 episodes)
• Director (2 episodes)
2019
Why We Hate • Director (6 episodes)
• Director (6 episodes)
2018
Mr. SOUL! • Director
• Director
2017
Maynard • Director
• Director
2017
Sammy Davis, Jr.: I've Gotta Be Me • Director
• Director
2017
Acorn and the Firestorm • Director
• Director
2017
The Talk: Race in America • Director
• Director
2016
Two Trains Runnin' • Director
• Director
2015
August Wilson: The Ground on Which I Stand • Director
• Director
2012
Slavery by Another Name • Director
• Director
2010
Mr. Soul: Ellis Haizlip and the Birth of Black Power TV • Director
• Director
2009
Chinatown Film Project • Director
• Director
2009
Love That Movie • Director
• Director
2008
Zora Neale Hurston: Jump at the Sun • Director
• Director
2008
Marvin Gaye: What's Going On • Director
• Director
2006
John Ford/John Wayne: The Filmmaker and the Legend • Director
• Director
2002
The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow • Director (4 episodes)
• Director (4 episodes)
2001
The Making of 'Bamboozled' • Director
• Director
1999
Independent Lens • Director (1 episode)
• Director (1 episode)
1999
I'll Make Me a World • Director (6 episodes)
• Director (6 episodes)
1993
Goin' Back to T-Town • Director
• Director
1988
American Experience • Director (3 episodes)
• Director (3 episodes)
1987
Eyes on the Prize • Director (2 episodes)
• Director (2 episodes)
1986
American Masters • Director (4 episodes)
• Director (4 episodes)

Production (26)

2025
The Perfect Neighbor • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2024
Ol' Dirty Bastard: A Tale of Two Dirtys • Producer
• Producer
2024
Black Table • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2023
Carlos • Producer
• Producer
2023
Lift • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2023
The Harvest: Integrating Mississippi's Schools • Producer
• Producer
2023
Max Roach: The Drum Also Waltzes • Producer
• Producer
2022
Outta the Muck • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2021
Hold Your Fire • Consulting Producer
• Consulting Producer
2021
A Crime on the Bayou • Consulting Producer
• Consulting Producer
2021
Civil War (Or, Who Do We Think We Are) • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2021
Black Art: In the Absence of Light • Producer
• Producer
2021
Tiger • Executive Producer (2 episodes)
• Executive Producer (2 episodes)
2020
Atlanta's Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children • Producer (5 episodes)
• Producer (5 episodes)
2020
D. Wade: Life Unexpected • Producer
• Producer
2020
Shared Legacies: The African-American Jewish Civil Rights Alliance • Consulting Producer
• Consulting Producer
2018
Wrestle • Consulting Producer
• Consulting Producer
2017
Acorn and the Firestorm • Producer
• Producer
2014
Reel Herstory: The Real Story of Reel Women • Executive Producer
• Executive Producer
2010
If God Is Willing and da Creek Don't Rise • Producer (2 episodes)
• Producer (2 episodes)
2003
The Blues • Producer (1 episode)
• Producer (1 episode)
2002
The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow • Producer (4 episodes)
• Producer (4 episodes)
2002
Jim Brown: All-American • Co-Producer
• Co-Producer
2001
The Making of 'Bamboozled' • Producer
• Producer
1997
4 Little Girls • Producer
• Producer
1993
Goin' Back to T-Town • Producer
• Producer

Editing (29)

2024
Ol' Dirty Bastard: A Tale of Two Dirtys • Supervising Editor
• Supervising Editor
2022
The Picture Taker • Editorial Consultant
• Editorial Consultant
2013
Remote Area Medical • Editor
• Editor
2012
Venus and Serena • Editor
• Editor
2012
Joe Papp in Five Acts • Editor
• Editor
2010
Gerrymandering • Editor
• Editor
2010
If God Is Willing and da Creek Don't Rise • Editor (2 episodes)
• Editor (2 episodes)
2009
By the People: The Election of Barack Obama • Editor
• Editor
2007
Pete Seeger: The Power of Song • Editor
• Editor
2006
Inside Man • Additional Editing
• Additional Editing
2004
Isn't This a Time! A Tribute Concert for Harold Leventhal • Editor
• Editor
2001
The Chinatown Files • Consulting Editor
• Consulting Editor
2000
Half Past Autumn: The Life and Works of Gordon Parks • Editor
• Editor
2000
Bamboozled • Editor
• Editor
1997
4 Little Girls • Editor
• Editor
1996
Girl 6 • Editor
• Editor
1995
Clockers • Editor
• Editor
1994
Surviving the Game • Editor
• Editor
1992
Juice • Editor
• Editor
1991
Jungle Fever • Editor
• Editor
1990
Mo' Better Blues • Editor
• Editor
1987
Langston Hughes: The Dream Keeper • Editor
• Editor
1985
Private Resort • Editor
• Editor
1984
Style Wars • Editor
• Editor
1983
Metropolitan Cats • Editor
• Editor
1981
Body and Soul • Editor
• Editor
1981
Night of the Zombies • Editor
• Editor
1981
Forever Young • Editor
• Editor
1981
The Little Players • Editor
• Editor

Writing (6)

2017
Maynard • Writer
• Writer
2017
Acorn and the Firestorm • Writer
• Writer
2009
Love That Movie • Writer
• Writer
2008
Marvin Gaye: What's Going On • Writer
• Writer
2002
The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow • Writer (4 episodes)
• Writer (4 episodes)
1987
Eyes on the Prize • Writer (2 episodes)
• Writer (2 episodes)