
Directing
Sam Pollard
20 April 1945 (81) Harlem, New York, USA
- Directed
- 43
- Written
- 6
- Produced
- 13
- Movies
- 2
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."
Known For
- Upcoming
- Murder in America: The Lynching of Emmett Till · Film · Director
- Counting The Ballots · Film · Director
- The Sound of Philadelphia · Film · Director
- 2026
- Natchez · Film · Executive Producer
- Tutu · Film · Director
- The Lorraine · Film · Director
- Full Circle: The First All Black Everest Ascent · Film · Executive Producer
- Crime and Punishment in America · Series · Executive Producer
- 2025
- The Perfect Neighbor · Film · Executive Producer
- Katrina: Come Hell and High Water · Series · Executive Producer
- I Was Born This Way · Film · Director
- Teaching America · Film · Executive Producer
- This Is Not a Drill · Film · Consulting Producer
- 2024
- Ol' Dirty Bastard: A Tale of Two Dirtys · Film · Director
- Photographer · Series · Director
- Black Table · Film · Executive Producer
- Keeper · Film · Executive Producer
- 2023
- Subject · Film
- Bill Russell: Legend · Series · Director
- Carlos · Film · Producer
- The League · Film · Director
- LIFT · Film · Executive Producer
- South to Black Power · Film · Director
- The Harvest: Integrating Mississippi's Schools · Film · Director
- Max Roach: The Drum Also Waltzes · Film · Producer
- 2022
- Hostages · Series · Director
- Lowndes County and the Road to Black Power · Film · Director
- Outta the Muck · Film · Executive Producer
- The Picture Taker · Film · Editorial Consultant
- Rise and Rebuild: A Tale of Three Cities · Film · Director
- 2021
- Tiger · Series · Executive Producer
- Black Art: In the Absence of Light · Film · Director
- Citizen Ashe · Film · Director
- Hold Your Fire · Film · Consulting Producer
- A Crime on the Bayou · Film · Consulting Producer
- Civil War (Or, Who Do We Think We Are) · Film · Executive Producer
- 2020
- Atlanta's Missing and Murdered: The Lost Children · Series · Director
- MLK/FBI · Film · Director
- D. Wade: Life Unexpected · Film · Producer
- Shared Legacies: The African-American Jewish Civil Rights Alliance · Film · Consulting Producer
- 2019
- Why We Hate · Series · Director
- 2018
- 2017
- Sammy Davis, Jr.: I've Gotta Be Me · Film · Director
- Maynard · Film · Director
- Acorn and the Firestorm · Film · Director
- The Talk: Race in America · Film · Director
- 2016
- Two Trains Runnin' · Film · Director
- 2015
- August Wilson: The Ground on Which I Stand · Film · Director
- 2014
- Style Wars In The Cutting Room · Film · Editor of Style Wars
- Reel Herstory: The Real Story of Reel Women · Film · Executive Producer
- 2013
- Remote Area Medical · Film · Editor
- 2012
- Venus and Serena · Film · Editor
- Slavery by Another Name · Film · Director
- Joe Papp in Five Acts · Film · Editor
- 2010
- If God Is Willing and da Creek Don't Rise · Series · Editor
- Gerrymandering · Film · Editor
- Mr. Soul: Ellis Haizlip and the Birth of Black Power TV · Film · Director
- 2009
- By the People: The Election of Barack Obama · Film · Editor
- Love That Movie · Film · Director
- Chinatown Film Project · Film · Director
- 2008
- Zora Neale Hurston: Jump at the Sun · Film · Director
- Marvin Gaye: What's Going On · Film · Writer
- 2007
- Pete Seeger: The Power of Song · Film · Editor
- Lillie & Leander: A Legacy of Violence · Film · Editorial Consultant
- 2006
- Inside Man · Film · Additional Editing
- John Ford/John Wayne: The Filmmaker and the Legend · Film · Director
- 2004
- Isn't This a Time! A Tribute Concert for Harold Leventhal · Film · Editor
- 2003
- The Blues · Series · Producer
- 2002
- Jim Brown: All-American · Film · Co-Producer
- The Rise and Fall of Jim Crow · Series · Director
- 2001
- The Making of 'Bamboozled' · Film · Director
- The Chinatown Files · Film · Consulting Editor
- 2000
- Bamboozled · Film · Editor
- Half Past Autumn: The Life and Works of Gordon Parks · Film · Editor
- 1999
- Independent Lens · Series · Director
- I'll Make Me a World · Series · Director
- 1997
- 4 Little Girls · Film · Editor
- 1996
- Girl 6 · Film · Editor
- 1995
- Clockers · Film · Editor
- 1994
- Surviving the Game · Film · Editor
- 1993
- Goin' Back to T-Town · Film · Director
- 1992
- Juice · Film · Editor
- 1991
- Jungle Fever · Film · Editor
- 1990
- Mo' Better Blues · Film · Editor
- 1988
- American Experience · Series · Director
- A Vision Shared: A Tribute to Woody Guthrie and Leadbelly · Film · Editor
- 1987
- Eyes on the Prize · Series · Director
- Langston Hughes: The Dream Keeper · Film · Editor
- 1986
- American Masters · Series · Director
- 1985
- Private Resort · Film · Editor
- 1984
- Style Wars · Film · Editor
- 1983
- Metropolitan Cats · Film · Editor
- 1981
- Body and Soul · Film · Editor
- Night of the Zombies · Film · Editor
- Forever Young · Film · Editor
- The Little Players · Film · Editor
- 1973
- Ganja & Hess · Film · Assistant Editor






































