Nancy Buirski, an acclaimed documentary filmmaker and talented photographer, passed away at the age of 78 in her Manhattan home. The exact cause of her death is still unknown, according to her sister, Judith Cohen.
Nancy’s career in documentary filmmaking began after she founded the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival at Duke University in 1998. She dedicated a decade to directing the festival before embarking on her own filmmaking journey. In 2011, Nancy released her first documentary, “The Loving Story,” which delved into the compelling case of Mildred and Richard Loving. The interracial couple had faced imprisonment due to the illegality of their marriage in Virginia in 1958. Nancy skillfully depicted their struggle, as Mildred was part-Black and part-Native American, while Richard was white. The film’s impact was profound, leading to a landmark civil rights ruling by the United States Supreme Court in 1967 that nullified state anti-miscegenation laws.
“The Loving Story,” directed by Nancy, earned critical acclaim and accolades. It won an Emmy for outstanding historical programming, long form, and received a Peabody Award. The documentary premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and later aired on HBO during Black History Month in 2012. Renowned critic Dave Itzkoff praised the film in The New York Times for its use of stunning archival footage and its ability to intertwine a personal love story with a powerful message about marriage equality.
Nancy continued to explore diverse stories and voices through her subsequent works. She directed, co-produced, and wrote “Afternoon of a Faun” (2013), a documentary about ballerina Tanaquil Le Clercq, who contracted polio while on tour in 1956. She also helmed the documentary “By Sidney Lumet” (2015), which delved into the life and work of the acclaimed filmmaker. Both films were broadcast by PBS as part of their “American Masters” series.
In 2017, Nancy directed, co-produced, and wrote “The Rape of Recy Taylor,” a documentary that shed light on the 1944 kidnapping of a Black woman by seven white men. Despite their confessions, the men were never charged. However, in 2011, the Alabama Legislature apologized for the state’s failure to prosecute the perpetrators. The film garnered critical acclaim and received a human rights prize at the 74th Venice International Film Festival.
Nancy’s recent projects included directing, co-producing, and writing “A Crime on the Bayou” (2021), which explored a 1966 altercation sparked by school integration. She also worked on “Desperate Souls, Dark City and the Legend of Midnight Cowboy” (2023), a documentary that delves into the making of John Schlesinger’s iconic 1969 film, starring Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman. Additionally, Nancy served as a special adviser to “Summer of Soul,” a concert-film documentary by Questlove that won an Academy Award. The film showcased rediscovered footage from the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival.
Prior to her illustrious career in filmmaking, Nancy made notable contributions as a picture editor at The New York Times. She played a pivotal role in selecting the image that earned the newspaper its first Pulitzer Prize for photography in 1994. The photograph, taken by South African photojournalist Kevin Carter, depicted an emaciated toddler collapsing on the way to a United Nations feeding center, while a vulture loomed nearby. It initially appeared on an inside page but garnered significant attention from concerned readers, leading to an editors’ note clarifying the child’s fate. The photograph ultimately won the Pulitzer in the feature photography category.
Born on June 24, 1945, in Manhattan, Nancy Florence Cohen was the daughter of Daniel and Helen Cohen. Her father worked in the paper manufacturing industry. Nancy graduated from New Rochelle High School and later obtained a bachelor’s degree from Adelphi University in 1967. Before joining The New York Times, she worked as an editor for the prestigious Magnum photo agency.
Alongside her visionary filmmaking, Nancy was a talented photographer in her own right. She published a book titled “Earth Angels: Migrant Children in America” in 1994, which showcased 150 compelling images depicting the lives of migrant farmworker children. The book shed light on their work during the day and their education at night, emphasizing the risks they faced due to poor housing, harsh working conditions, and exposure to pesticides.
Nancy’s personal life included marriages to Peter Buirski and Kenneth Friedlein, both of which ended in divorce.
Nancy Buirski’s groundbreaking work in documentary filmmaking, photography, and storytelling leaves behind a lasting legacy that will continue to inspire and captivate audiences for generations to come. Her unique perspective and innovative approach to the art form have solidified her status as a visionary in the industry.
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