'Nickel Boys' Director RaMell Ross Makes The Camera 'An Organ'

This Fresh Air interview focuses on filmmaker RaMell Ross, whose adaptation of Colson Whitehead's *The Nickel Boys* is nominated for two Academy Awards. The conversation explores Ross's unique filmmaking techniques, including his "sentient perspective" approach that immerses the viewer in the protagonists' experiences. Ross discusses his previous Oscar-nominated documentary, *Hale County This Morning, This Evening*, and the evolution of his visual style, emphasizing the importance of subjective authorship and personal connection in representing Black life. He also recounts a personal performance art piece involving shipping himself across the country in a box, connecting it to his film's themes and his own life experiences. The interview concludes with reflections on his upbringing, his basketball career, and the profound impact of loss on his artistic journey.