Bad News: Some Films by Nathan Truesdell

An Evening with Murray Center Visiting Artist Nathan Truesdell

This screening presents six works from the multi-hyphenate filmmaker Nathan Truesdell, raised in Clark, Missouri, and one of the most inventive voices in nonfiction filmmaking today. Editing footage from long-forgotten news segments, his works explore archives, public spectacle, and the media. This retrospective of Truesdell’s oeuvre will conclude with his most recent film, A Derailment, executive produced by John Wilson.

Presented with the Jonathan B. Murray Center for Documentary Journalism, this screening will be followed by a Q&A with Truesdell moderated by Robert Greene, filmmaker-in-chief at the Murray Center.

When The LAPD Blows Up Your Neighborhood [2022, 19 min]

Produced by Kat Nguyen, Will Lennon

Tensions rise on a busy street as news organizations and local residents witness an extremely volatile situation turn into a literal powder keg.

Balloonfest [2017, 6 min]

Produced by Jamie Gonçalves, Charlotte Cook

Cleveland attempts to overcome its nickname, "The Mistake by the Lake" by launching a bunch of balloons.

Mystery Seeds [2025, 9 min]

Produced by Kat Nguyen, Sue Ding, Maggie Li

After thousands of mysterious packages sow the seeds of a xenophobic conspiracy, filmmakers track its growth through local news, internet detectives, and your online shopping history.

It's Coming! [2020, 9 min] - Directed by Nathan Truesdell and Jessica Kingdon

Produced by Nathan Truesdell, Willy Berliner, Jessica Kingdon

The future is here! Well, almost.

The Water Slide [2018, 9 min]

Produced by Charlotte Cook, Jamie Gonçalves, Jessica Kingdon

Tragedy strikes the World's Tallest Water Slide.

A Derailment [2026, 26 min]

Produced by Kat Nguyen, Will Lennon

Executive produced by John Wilson

At 8:55 p.m. on Feb. 3, 2023, a freight train carrying hazardous materials derails in East Palestine, Ohio.