A legendary director and indomitable symbol of the New Hollywood, William Friedkin spanned fifty years of cinema,moving from one genre to another, enriching the thriller with his naturalism and the horror movie with his documentary methods.
He often proved impenetrable, particularly with regard to the things that shaped his life and career. Alexandre O. Philippe, a meticulous and introspective filmmaker whose documentary films include 78/52: Hitchcock’s Shower Scene, manages to penetrate the defences of the director of The Exorcist and capture his last great confession. Rarely was Friedkin so open about his inspirations and the themes pervading his works.