Pure Nonfiction: Inside Documentary Film
Pure Nonfiction, hosted by Thom Powers, is a documentary podcast with interviews of filmmakers and industry figures about their films and craft. It has 253 episodes released roughly every two weeks, typically 40 to 50 minutes long. Estimated downloads per episode are 2,000 to 8,000 (estimated), with a host-read rate of $40 to $200 per episode.
Long-running documentary interviews with filmmakers reaching a cinephile audience
- 253 episodes since 2016 give a deep, evergreen back catalogue.
- Apple Podcasts rating of 4.4 from 214 ratings signals an engaged listener base.
- Guests include documentary legends and emerging filmmakers, with frank, detailed conversation.
Brand fit report
Content
- Formats
- interview, panel discussion, live recording
- Tone
- thoughtful, conversational
- Language
- English
- Production
- Clean, edited audio
- Typical length
- 35 to 50 minutes
Audience
Commercial
- Brands seen
- None yet
- Categories promoted
- None yet
- Affiliate links
- No
No sponsor mentions found in the feed. The feed shows no funding links, and the website lists only a Substack and Instagram presence.
Suitability GARM Brand Safety Floor + Suitability
Family friendly
Recent titles cover documentaries on topics such as Musk, the Weather Underground and Sean Combs, discussed in an interview format with no explicit flag in the feed.
We classify content, never people. No age, gender, ethnicity, religion or political views are inferred about the creator. Audience figures are estimates unless marked verified. Creators can correct anything on their profile.
Where to listen
| Platform | Link |
|---|---|
| Website | www.purenonfiction.net/episodes/ |
| Apple Podcasts | podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1102957639 |
| RSS feed | www.purenonfiction.net/episodes?format=rss |
Benchmark score: 59 / 100
Public rule, same for everyone. How it works.
Recent episodes
| Episode | Date | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 245: Alex Gibney on "Musk" | 2026-10-08 | 44 min |
| 244: Sinead O’Shea on "All About the Money" | 2026-08-13 | 45 min |
| 243: Sasha Waters on Mary Oliver | 2026-07-01 | 35 min |
| 242: Zayd Ayers Dohrn on the Weather Underground | 2026-06-18 | 44 min |
| 241: Live from New York, part 2 | 2026-06-12 | 55 min |
| 240: Live from New York, part 1 | 2026-06-11 | 1 h 6 min |
Last six episodes from the show's feed, latest 11 days ago, a new one about every 14 days.
Hear the world's top storytellers talk all things documentary film. Host Thom Powers is as well-connected as it gets in this world as a documentary curator for TIFF and other renowned festivals. He wrote the book "Mondo Documentary" that is “required reading for fans of nonfiction cinema,” says Judd Apatow. Our podcast guests range from documentary legends to emerging talent. Follow us on…
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About Pure Nonfiction: Inside Documentary Film
Pure Nonfiction is a documentary podcast hosted by Thom Powers, a documentary curator for TIFF and other festivals and author of Mondo Documentary, according to the show's website and feed description. The show features frank, detailed interviews with documentary filmmakers about their best-known films, from legends to emerging talent.
The show has 253 episodes released roughly every 14 days, typically running 35 to 50 minutes, according to the RSS feed. Apple Podcasts lists a 4.4 average rating from 214 ratings. Audience figures are estimates only: the show is likely reaching around 2,000 to 8,000 listeners per episode, based on rating volume and cadence, and the listener base skews toward cinephiles and nonfiction fans.
No sponsors were seen in the feed or on the website. At an estimated audience, a host-read mid-roll would cost roughly $40 to $200 per episode, a range suited to film festivals, streaming services and book publishers seeking a documentary-focused audience.
Written from the show's public RSS feed, its Podcast Index listing and episode titles. Numbers updated 2026-10-19. Pure Nonfiction: Inside Documentary Film can edit or remove this page at any time.
Questions about Pure Nonfiction: Inside Documentary Film
How much does Pure Nonfiction charge for a podcast sponsorship?
Based on estimated downloads of 2,000 to 8,000 per episode, a host-read mid-roll is estimated at $40 to $200 per episode. Rates are estimates derived from audience signals, not a published price card.
What is Pure Nonfiction about?
Pure Nonfiction is a documentary podcast hosted by Thom Powers, featuring interviews with documentary filmmakers and industry figures about their films, craft and careers, with new episodes roughly every two weeks.
How do I contact Pure Nonfiction about sponsoring an episode?
The show's contact email unlocks on Starbooked for $0.80, and boosted shows can be booked through Starbooked.
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