Ken Burns has been making documentary films for almost fifty years. Since the Academy Award-nominated Brooklyn Bridge in 1981, Ken has gone on to direct and produce some of the most acclaimed historical documentaries ever made, including The Civil War; Baseball; Jazz; The War; The National Parks: America’s Best Idea; Prohibition; The Roosevelts: An Intimate History; The Vietnam War; Country Music; The U.S. and the Holocaust; The American Buffalo; and, most recently, Leonardo da Vinci.

 

Future projects include The American Revolution, Emancipation to Exodus, and LBJ & the Great Society, continuing his legacy of storytelling that brings history to life and makes it deeply personal. Ken’s films have been honored with dozens of major awards, including seventeen Emmy Awards, two Grammy Awards, and two Oscar nominations. In 2008, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, and in 2022, he was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame.

 

In April 2026, MPSF audiences will have the rare opportunity to hear from one of the most celebrated storytellers of our time. Ken will share reflections on nearly five decades of filmmaking, what inspires his work, and what history has taught him about where we’re headed. Don’t miss this unforgettable evening of storytelling, insight, and perspective.