Brian Lindstrom is a documentary filmmaker whose films focus on addiction, incarceration, mental illness, and

police brutality Police brutality is the excessive and unwarranted use of force by law enforcement against an individual or Public order policing, a group. It is an extreme form of police misconduct and is a civil rights violation. Police brutality includes, b ...

. His latest film is ''Lost Angel: The Genius of Judee Sill'' premiered at DOCNYC and was awarded Documentary of the Year by Docnroll Film Festival. It is distributed by Greenwich Entertainment and available on Apple TV and Amazon. With his wife

Cheryl Strayed Cheryl Strayed (; née Nyland; born September 17, 1968) is an American writer and podcast host. She has written four books: the novel ''Torch'' (2006) and the nonfiction books '' Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail'' (2012), '' Ti ...

, Lindstrom made ''I Am Not Untouchable. I Just Have My Period'' for the New York Times in 2019. The ACLU of Oregon gave Lindstrom its Civil Liberties Award in 2017. That same year, he received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Lewis & Clark College. In 2013, Lindstrom directed '' Alien Boy: The Life and Death of James Chasse''. The film examines the life of a man diagnosed with schizophrenia who died in police custody in Portland, Oregon on September 17, 2006. ''Alien Boy: the Life and Death of James Chasse'' is distributed by Breaking Glass Pictures and has been shown at film festivals in the US and Canada. Production on ''Alien Boy'' began in 2007 and ended in 2013. Lindstrom made ''Finding Normal'' in 2007, a cinema-verite documentary following three long-term addicts trying to rebuild their lives with the help of peer counselors. Lindstrom made the film in 2007 on a budget of $5,000, shooting and editing himself. ''Finding Normal'' won awards at the Astoria International and Longbaugh Film Festivals, and was broadcast on

Oregon Public Broadcasting Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) is the primary public broadcasting, public media organization for the U.S. state of Oregon as well as southern Washington (state), Washington. It provides news, information, and programming via television stati ...

. ''Finding Normal'' is the only film ever to be shown to inmates in solitary confinement at

Oregon State Penitentiary Oregon State Penitentiary (OSP), also known as Oregon State Prison, is a supermax, maximum security prison in the northwestern United States in Salem, Oregon. Originally opened in Portland, Oregon, Portland in 1851, it relocated to Salem f ...

. Other films directed by Lindstrom include the documentaries ''Kicking,'' ''To Pay My Way With Stories,'' and ''Writing Myself.'' His award-winning narrative short, ''Lucy's Room,'' is adapted from the short story "Surprised by Joy," by Charles Baxter. He was awarded a Telly for work on ''The Visionaries,'' a PBS documentary series hosted by

Sam Waterston Samuel Atkinson Waterston (born November 15, 1940) is an American actor. Waterston is known for his work in theater, television, and film. He has received numerous accolades including a Primetime Emmy Award, Golden Globe Award, and Screen Actor ...

. Since 1994 Lindstrom has taught in the

Northwest Film Center PAM CUT–Center for an Untold Tomorrow, formerly the ''Northwest Film Center'' is a regional media arts resource and service organization based in Portland, Oregon, United States that was founded to encourage the study, appreciation, and utilizat ...

's Young Filmmaker's Program, using video as a tool of empowerment for at-risk youth. He has made many films with youth in Portland, rural Oregon, Texas, Idaho and the South Bronx. Lindstrom was born and raised in Portland, Oregon, and graduated from

Parkrose High School Parkrose High School (PHS) is a public high school in Portland, Oregon, United States. It is the only high school in the Parkrose School District. Academics In 2008, 72% of the school's seniors received a high school diploma. Of 231 students, 16 ...

. He holds an MFA in screenwriting and film directing from

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

and as an undergraduate, he attended

Lewis & Clark College Lewis & Clark College is a private liberal arts college in Portland, Oregon. It was founded in 1867 and is situated on the historic M. Lloyd Frank Estate in South Portland's Collins View neighborhood. It is composed of three distinct but adjac ...

, receiving a degree in Communications in 1984. He was mentored by retired Lewis & Clark professor Stuart Kaplan, who inspired Lindstrom to pursue a career in film making. Lindstrom is married to the writer

. They have two children and live in

Portland, Oregon Portland ( ) is the List of cities in Oregon, most populous city in the U.S. state of Oregon, located in the Pacific Northwest region. Situated close to northwest Oregon at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, ...

Filmography

* ''Lost Angel: The Genius of Judee Sill'' (2024) * ''I Am Not Untouchable. I Just Have My Period'' (2019) * ''Mothering Inside'' (2015) * '' Alien Boy: The Life and Death of James Chasse'' (2013) * ''To Pay My Way With Stories'' (2012) * ''Writing Myself'' * ''Finding Normal'' (2007) * ''Kicking'' (2004)

References

External links

Brian Lindstrom
official site *
Alien Boy: the Life and Death of James Chasse
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lindstrom, Brian Writers from Portland, Oregon Living people 1961 births Filmmakers from Portland, Oregon American documentary film directors Columbia University School of the Arts alumni Lewis & Clark College alumni Parkrose High School alumni