Director Erik Nelson discusses The Cold Blue

June 14, 2019

An Eastern Region Special Projects Documentary Series Screening

During WWII, the Eighth Air Force flew multiple deadly missions over Europe. DGA and Oscar-winning Director William Wyler (Ben-Hur) went to Europe to capture the air war in progress and flew actual combat missions on while crafting his 1944 documentary, The Memphis Belle: A Story of a Flying Fortress, a tribute to the titular WWII bomber.

Director Erik Nelson’s The Cold Blue uses newly restored 4K footage and outtakes from Wyler’s work that was recently discovered in the vaults of the National Archives. Also featuring narration from some of the last surviving B-17 pilots, Nelson's documentary is both a tribute to one of the world’s great filmmakers and the men of the Eighth Air Force. The Cold Blue premiered at AFI Docs and screened at the New York Film Festival.

Following the DGA Eastern Region Special Projects Committee’s Documentary Series screening in New York on June 13, Nelson discussed the making of the film in a conversation moderated by Director Sandra Luckow (That Way Madness Lies...).

In addition to The Cold Blue, Nelson's filmography includes the documentary features A Gray State, Dinotasia, JFK: The Final Hours, Scrapbooks from Hell: The Auschwitz Albums and Dreams with Sharp Teeth; the movie for television Anne Frank's Holocaust; and episodes of the series Pearl Harbor Declassified, Journal of the Unknown and Secrets and Mysteries. Nelson has been a DGA member since 1984.

You can listen to Nelson's Q&A by clicking the podcast episode embedded below. You can find more DGA podcast episodes here.

Pictures

Event photos by Ryan Jensen - Print courtesy of HBO.

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DGA Eastern Region Special Projects Committee Chair Raymond De Felitta welcomes the audience to the Committee’s Documentary Series screening, The Cold Blue.

In 1943, Director William Wyler brought color cameras aboard B-17 Flying Fortresses on bombing runs over Germany as seen here in an image from Director Erik Nelson’s new documentary, The Cold Blue.

Director Erik Nelson speaks about the making of his new documentary, The Cold Blue, following the DGA Eastern Region Special Projects Documentary Series screening in New York.

Director Erik Nelson speaks about the making of his new documentary,The Cold Blue, with Director Sandra Luckow (moderator) following the DGA Eastern Region Special Projects Documentary Series screening in New York.

A squadron of B-17s dart the skies over Europe in an image from Director Erik Nelson’s documentary, The Cold Blue.

Director Sandra Luckow (moderator) asks Director Erik Nelson a question about the making of Nelson’s new documentary, The Cold Blue.

A B-17 gunner mans his post in an image from Director Erik Nelson’s documentary, The Cold Blue.

Directors Erik Nelson and Sandra Luckow (moderator) are joined onstage by guitarist Richard Thompson, who composed the score for Nelson’s new documentary, The Cold Blue.

B-17s in a bombing run over Europe in an image from Director Erik Nelson’s documentary, The Cold Blue.

A member of the DGA New York Theater audience asks Director Erik Nelson a question about the making of his new documentary, The Cold Blue.

A B-17 makes a bombing run over Europe in an image from Director Erik Nelson’s documentary, The Cold Blue.

Directors Erik Nelson and Sandra Luckow (moderator) pose for a photo following the New York Special Projects Documentary Series screening of Nelson’s new documentary, The Cold Blue.

Director Erik Nelson chats with members of the audience following DGA Eastern Region Special Projects Documentary Series screening of his new documentary, The Cold Blue.

The crew of the legendary B-17, The Memphis Belle, in an image from Director Erik Nelson’s documentary, The Cold Blue.

Director Erik Nelson poses for a photo with Melanie Wyler, the daughter of DGA and Oscar-winning Director William Wyler, whose WWII footage formed the basis for Nelson’s new documentary, The Cold Blue.

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