Diane Weyermann, Participant Exec and ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ EP, Remembered by Film Community
The passing of documentary film champion and Participant Media executive Diane Weyermann has left a mark on the film community. The Participant chief content officer and former director of the Sundance Institute’s Documentary Film Program died on Thursday at the age of 66 after a battle with cancer.
Weyermann played a formative role in the documentary space, executive-producing Oscar-winning documentaries such as Davis Guggenheim’s “An Inconvenient Truth,” Laura Poitras’ “Citizenfour,” and Julia Reichert and Steven Bognar’s “American Factory.” While at Participant, she oversaw films including “Darfur Now” (2007), Robert Kenner’s “Food, Inc.” (2008), Errol Morris’ “Standard Operating Procedure” (2008), Joshua Oppenheimer’s “The Look of Silence” (2014), Morgan Neville’s “The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble” (2015), and Marc Silver’s “3 1/2 Minutes” (2015).
“Diane and I met while I was directing ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ and I immediately was struck by her creative brilliance,” said Davis Guggenheim in a statement. “She loved nonfiction and fiercely defended those who made it. She had a massive influence on my films and my evolution as a director. Her work over the last two decades shepherded in a new era for documentaries. Nonfiction will never be the same.”
“We mourn the loss of Diane Weyermann, a dedicated Academy member in the Documentary Branch and a vocal champion of documentary and international film. She co-chaired the International Feature Film Executive Committee for two consecutive years, alongside other committee service. Diane always led with integrity. She was a bright light for filmmakers everywhere and a tenacious force for progress. She will be greatly missed by her friends at the Academy and in our filmmaking community,” the Academy said in a statement.
She received a Primetime Emmy nomination this year for executive-producing David Byrne’s “American Utopia” special directed by Spike Lee, and in 2010 for executive-producing “Pressure Cooker.”
More reactions to Weyermann’s passing poured in on Twitter. See below.
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An extraordinary person. A devastating loss. https://t.co/xj8Yl92YYr
— TABITHA JACKSON (@TABULA4) October 15, 2021
Diane Weyermann at festivals many years ago… At Sundance ‘06 (center) with Davis Guggenheim & Patricia Finneran for the world premiere of “An Inconvenient Truth” and (right) with Ally Derks at IDFA in Amsterdam the following year. pic.twitter.com/CVOtTkoMk8
— eugene hernandez (@eug) October 15, 2021
We mourn the loss and celebrate the life of Diane Weyermann, documentary champion, force of nature and key supporter of many of the best nonfiction work of this century, including CEH winners America to Me, American Factory, Food Inc., and Citizenfour. pic.twitter.com/hTFSVNHzvh
— Cinema Eye Honors (@cinemaeyehonors) October 15, 2021
My friend Diane Weyermann has died. She was a guiding light to all documentary filmmakers. Im shattered by the loss. And inspired by the memory of what she has done. Her smile lit up every room she was in. Requiescat in pace. https://t.co/4C6nRkpQ1k
— Alex Gibney (@alexgibneyfilm) October 15, 2021
At the center of everyone’s life is a hero. Someone who gives you hope & purpose. Diane Weyermann was my friend, hero, guiding light & easily my favorite person in film. She was in a class all by herself making the world a better place. I will miss you so very much.
— Tom Quinn (@aloompanix) October 15, 2021
Stunned that we’ve lost the light that was Diane Weyermann. https://t.co/2SmUR1Y2aZ
— Cameron Bailey (@cameron_tiff) October 15, 2021
Very sad to report that Participant documentary chief Diane Weyermann has lost her battle with cancer. I once profiled her as one of the most powerful women in the documentary world. She was also a lovely human being. https://t.co/SCtUlsiskU
— Anne Thompson (@akstanwyck) October 15, 2021
My producer and friend Diane Weyerman died yesterday. What can one say? She was a splendid person. One of a kind and one of the best. I loved her.
— errolmorris (@errolmorris) October 15, 2021
