This is a story about how hard basic journalism can be, making mistakes, and doing your best in a less than perfect world. It also has pretty serious ethical implications, which is how I got myself into this mess in the first place.
But first, one tiny announcement for any NYC locals: I am doing a special 10th anniversary screening of NUTS! at Nitehawk Prospect Park on Jan 6th. Jill Lepore is moderating!!! I want to do more of these special screenings in 2026, because let’s just say it was very weird to release the movie during the very beginning of the Trump Era (I feel like Nitehawk chose Jan 6th for a reason) AND ALSO it’s the 10th anniversary of the footnote project). Let me know if you’d like to host a screening in your classroom or theater or wherever!
Onto the dilemma…
I start a book and I want to make it perfect, want it to turn every color, want it to be the world. Ten pages in, I’ve already blown it, limited it, made it less, marred it. That’s very discouraging. I hate the book at that point. After a while I arrive at an accommodation: Well, it’s not the ideal, it’s not the perfect object I wanted to make, but maybe—if I go ahead and finish it anyway—I can get it right next time. Maybe I can have another chance. —Joan Didion
My film Confessions of a Good Samaritan is about altruistic kidney donation. Specifically, my own experience of doing it. The movie is loaded with ethical landmines, but only one of them caused me to change the film months after its festival premiere.
It’s an embarrassing story.