Doc Talk Podcast: A Closer Look at ‘Melania,’ ‘All The Empty Rooms,’ and ‘The Devil Is Busy’
The documentary focusing on First Lady Melania Trump has generated approximately $13.5 million at the global box office, a noteworthy figure for a nonfiction film. However, whether this marks a financial success remains a topic for debate.
In a recent episode, the program featured the creators of two Oscar-nominated documentary shorts: Joshua Seftel, director of All the Empty Rooms, and Geeta Gandbhir and Christalyn Hampton, directors of The Devil Is Busy. Gandbhir is also nominated for her work on the feature documentary The Perfect Neighbor.
Seftel discussed his collaboration with CBS News correspondent Steve Hartman and commercial photographer Lou Bopp, focusing on a poignant subject—the bedrooms left untouched by the families of children who died in school shootings. He emphasized his aim to create a film that addresses the effects of gun violence while steering clear of the entrenched political debate surrounding the issue.
Conversely, The Devil Is Busy presents a different narrative. Gandbhir and Hampton filmed at a women’s health clinic in Georgia, examining the real-world consequences following the reversal of Roe v. Wade. The filmmakers spotlight Tracii, a woman deeply rooted in her Christian faith whom they depict managing security at the clinic, and they reflect on the documentary’s title and its layered meanings.
Listeners can access the episode on major podcast platforms, including Spotify, iHeart, and Apple.
