Merman's Lucy Walker Gets a Retrospective

Director Lucy Walker, who is on the roster of the global commercial production company Merman, will be celebrated in a weeklong series of screenings of her impressive oeuvre of documentaries at the Paris Theater in Manhattan from July 24 through August 7, in conjunction with the July 31st release of her latest film “Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa” on Netflix. The historic Paris Theater was acquired by Netflix in 2019 and will host eleven of Walker’s films during the week, including “Devil’s Playground,” her 2002 documentary about Amish teenagers engaging in the tradition of rumspringa; her 2006 mountain climbing documentary “Blindsight;” her Oscar-nominated 2010 documentary about Brazilian landfill workers “Waste Land;” the 2013 snowboarding documentary “The Crash Reel;” and her 2021 wildfire documentary “Bring Your Own Brigade.”

In a statement announcing the retrospective, Netflix said: “Not content to have her films blend into the traditional documentary landscape, Walker has consistently sought to unearth stories unlike anything filmed before, full of dramatic tension, memorable characters and visual splendor. She has traversed the globe with an adventurer’s spirit to transport us into challenging, inaccessible environments, imbuing her films – both feature length and short subject – with a unique cinematic spirit.”

“The moment when one thing turns into another is the most beautiful moment,” Walker said. “I hunt for opportunities to glimpse these precious moments, and I long for the sensitivity and wherewithal to observe them, capture them, and allow them to expand me.”

Upon wrapping “Mountain Queen,” Walker is returning to work with her production company Merman to develop several commercial projects. Walker’s career in advertising is as acclaimed as her documentary vocation; she’s won three Cannes Lions, two Clios and two AICP awards.

“Lucy is an incredibly talented, adventurous and brave director, well deserving of this unique tribute to her twenty years of remarkable storytelling,” said Merman Global Managing Director Kira Carstensen. “The scope of her creativity is both epic and human. She tackles big ideas with wisdom and visual brilliance while also exploring the heart and soul of people who are ordinary and extraordinary, capturing humanity at its most dramatic and revealing moments. We are so proud of Lucy’s amazing achievements, and happy to not only call her our director, but our friend.”

Below is the complete screening schedule:

Wednesday, July 24, 2024
6:00 PM – MOUNTAIN QUEEN: THE SUMMITS OF LHAKPA SHERPA (2024)
Q&A with Lucy Walker, Lhakpa Sherpa, Sunny Dijmarescu, Shiny Dijmarescu

Friday, August 2, 2024
7:00 PM – WASTE LAND

Saturday, August 3, 2024
4:00 PM – THE CRASH REEL

Sunday, August 4, 2024
1:45 PM – BLINDSIGHT

Sunday, August 4, 2024
7:00 PM – DEVIL’S PLAYGROUND

Monday, August 5, 2024
7:00 PM – LUCY WALKER SHORT FILM SHOWCASE

Thursday, August 8, 2024
7:00 PM – BRING YOUR OWN BRIGADE