Frederick Wiseman's company issues first statement after death

Frederick Wiseman was honoured with a heartfelt tribute after his passing.

Zipporah Films, the distribution company he founded in 1971, announced on Monday, February 16, that the Oscar-winning filmmaker has passed away at the age of 96.

The first statement issued by the company read, “For nearly six decades, Frederick Wiseman created an unparalleled body of work, a sweeping cinematic record of contemporary social institutions and ordinary human experience primarily in the United States and France.”

They did not disclose the reason of his death, however, noted that the pioneering documentarian “considered Cambridge, Mass.; Northport, Maine; and Paris, France” to be his homes.

The recipient of an honorary Oscar at the 2016 Governors Awards, Wiseman made one documentary a year after his first one, the controversial Titicut Follies (1967).

In addition, other gritty films includes Law and Order (1969), High School (1969), Hospital (1970), Juvenile Court (1973), Welfare (1975) and Public Housing (1997) and more. 

Some of his films probed health and mortality issues, including Deaf (1986), Blind (1987), Multi-Handicapped (1986) and the six-hour Near Death (1989).

His 50th documentary, Menus Plaisirs — Les Troisgros, premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2023.

Wiseman’s wife died in 2021. Survivors include his sons, David (Jennifer) and Eric (Kristen); his grandchildren and a friend and collaborator who worked with him for 45 years.