In Truth We Seek

In one year — a critical election year, that is, where the concept of “truth” is tested daily, Rolling rock and Variety teamed up again to host the fourth annual Truth Seekers Summit, presented by Paramount+. It will take place on August 15^u in New York, the invitation-only event will celebrate journalists, documentarians, creatives and notable figures in the media and entertainment industry who honor the truth with every fiber of their being.

With a series of keynotes and panel discussions, the Summit will focus on excellence in documentary storytelling, navigating the political landscape, true crime and other key topics.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Variety and Paramount+ for the fourth annual Truth Seekers Summit,” said Gus Wenner, CEO of Rolling Stone. “This work aligns with our core mission of supporting deep, investigative storytelling.”

Headlining the Summit will be Wenner interviewing Academy Award and Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney (Taxi to the dark side, Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief) for his outstanding achievements in documentary making. VarietyIts co-editor, Ramin Setoodeh, will sit down with Nancy Grace, its host Crime Stories with Nancy Grace and founder and editor of CrimeOnline, where they will delve into Grace's extensive career covering true crime. Susan Zirinsky, President of See It Now Studios at CBS News, will participate in a featured fireside chat—while John Walsh, host and executive producer of America's Most Wantedand his son AMW Co-host, Callahan Walsh, discusses “Trailblazers in Investigative Reporting.”

Political comedy will take center stage as world-renowned radio host and personality Charlamagne the God leads the “Best Mashup-Politics, Humor Pop Culture” panel alongside Tony, Emmy and WGA Award-winning author and comedian Amber Ruffin and The daily show correspondent Lewis Black.

The “True Crime Masters Tell All” panel will examine true crime films, featuring filmmakers Muta'Ali Muhammad (MoviePass MovieCrash, Yusuf Hawkins: Storm Over Brooklyn), Christian Hansen (executive producer, American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders), Amara Cofer (host and co-creator, The black girl is gone), Brian Knappenberger (Director, Trials of Gabriel Fernandez and Turning point), and Andrew Jarecki (executive producer/creator, The Jinx: The Life and Deaths of Robert Durst).

Finally, notable documentaries such as Rahman Ali Bugg (director, Exposing Parchman, Welcome to Rap City), Alex Stapleton (director, God save Texas), and Nanette Burstein (Director, Executive Producer, Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes) will be featured on the Documentary Panel, where they'll chop it up about finding compelling narratives that captivate and educate viewers.

“We are very excited to be joining forces again Rolling rock and Paramount+ to organize this important summit.” VarietyIts COO and CMO, Dea Lawrence, said. “Truth Seekers provides a vital platform for journalists and documentary makers.”

In the coming weeks, more speakers and panels will be announced in an already packed lineup.

In conjunction with the Truth Seekers Summit, Variety and Rolling rock will produce a special print issue. The issue will feature original and archival stories highlighting the iconic brands' long-standing commitment to truth while expanding the ethos of truth seekers. It will be distributed to a select group Variety and Rolling rock subscribers.

For those who won't be able to attend the Truth Seeker Summit in the Big Apple, you can sign up for virtual access here.