Born in Boston in 1930 and dying in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 2026, Frederick Wiseman trained as a lawyer before founding the distribution company Zipporah Films in 1971. From Titicut Follies (1967) onward he made close observational documentaries on institutions with no narration or interviews, among them High School, Hospital, Welfare, Meat, Ballet, La Danse, National Gallery, In Jackson Heights, Ex Libris: The New York Public Library and City Hall. His awards include a MacArthur Fellowship, the Golden Lion for lifetime achievement and an honorary Oscar in 2016.
Filmography
- Titicut Follies (1967)
- High School (1968)
- Hospital (1970)
- Welfare (1975)
- La Danse (2009)
- National Gallery (2014)
- City Hall (2020)