James A. Smith

Movies

Ron Delsener Presents
Producer
Now well into his eighties, Delsener shows little sign of slowing down. At one point, the camera follows him as he ping-pongs across New York attending multiple concerts in one evening. His love for the work of putting on a show shines through as he drags the filmmakers through crowds and backstage so he can chat with artists and crew members. Interspersed with these present-day adventures are looks back on the highlights of Delsener’s career, reflecting his own intense nostalgia. It’s rare that a documentary so completely embodies the personality of its subject.
The Last Cruise
Producer
Using intimate footage recorded by passengers and crew, The Last Cruise is a first-person account of the nightmare that transpired aboard the ill-fated Diamond Princess cruise ship, which set sail from Japan on the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Searching
Post Production Supervisor
After David Kim's 16-year-old daughter goes missing, a local investigation is opened and a detective is assigned to the case. But 37 hours later and without a single lead, David decides to search the one place no one has looked yet, where all secrets are kept today: his daughter's laptop.
Jane
Producer
Drawing from never-before-seen footage that has been tucked away in the National Geographic archives, director Brett Morgen tells the story of Jane Goodall, a woman whose chimpanzee research revolutionized our understanding of the natural world.