Chris Hegedus and D A Pennebaker are luminaries in the art of cinema vérité, widely recognized for their unyielding commitment to telling stories that reveal the full spectrum of American life. With a collective body of work spanning over fifty years, Hegedus and Pennebaker have influenced a generation of filmmakers in direct cinema. Whether it be Bill Clinton’s first presidential campaign, the three-day 1967 Monterey Pop Festival, an intimate portrait of Bob Dylan or a behind-the-scenes view of dot-com mania, they have captured some of the most important subjects and iconic figures of our time. Partners in life and behind the camera, their work independently and collectively has provided a view on politics, the arts and rock music. They’ve profiled remarkable politicians and political moments, including the John F. Kennedy-Hubert Humphrey presidential campaign, the Robert Kennedy-George Wallace conflict over school desegregation and Bill Clinton’s 1992 presidential campaign. And they’ve captured the lives and performances of Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, John Lennon, David Bowie, the Who and Depeche Mode, to name a few. The symposium will feature a series of excerpts from the filmmakers’ body of documentary work. Senator Al Franken will make salutary remarks and Liane Hansen will moderate a conversation with D A Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.