Filmmaker Brian Lindstrom, known for underdog documentaries, dies at 65

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Brian Lindstrom, the filmmaker known for his documentaries about marginalized people and for sparking positive change, has passed away at age 65.

Lindstrom’s wife, author Cheryl Strayed, confirmed the news on Instagram Friday.

It breaks my heart to share that Brian Lindstrom passed away this morning. Knowing Brian, he faced it with the same kindness and bravery he showed throughout his life, always filled with grace and thankful for everything he had. His wife said they were all with him – their children, Carver and Bobbi, and she – holding him as he took his final breath, and they’ll carry him in their hearts always. It’s hard to express how much they loved him, and how devastating it is that Progressive Supranuclear Palsy took him from them, but their love for him is truly boundless.

Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a rare and quickly worsening brain disease. It happens when nerve cells in the parts of the brain responsible for thinking and movement are damaged, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

Cheryl Strayed, the author of the popular memoir “Wild” – which became a movie starring Reese Witherspoon – recently shared the news that her husband, Lindstrom, has been diagnosed with a life-threatening illness.

Born on February 12, 1961, Lindstrom grew up in Portland, Oregon, where his family—his father was a bartender and his mother a liquor saleswoman—continues to live today.

Lindstrom was the first in his family to go to college. He financed his education through student loans, work-study positions, and summer jobs at a salmon cannery in Cordova, Alaska. During a 2013 TEDx talk, he shared how, after completing all available video production courses at Lewis & Clark College, his professor, Stuart Kaplan, gifted him a certificate for a class at the Northwest Film Center. It was there he created a short film about his grandfather, which ultimately led to his acceptance into the MFA program at Columbia University.

A train ride with his grandfather sparked Lindstrom’s passion for approaching difficult subjects with respect and a focus on the humanity of those involved. He remembered a specific incident: on the third day of the trip, his grandfather, who struggled with alcohol, woke up feeling unwell and without his dentures. Five-year-old Lindstrom observed how the other passengers reacted to his grandfather, and it deeply affected him.

He explained that his films explore a quest—symbolized by the search for his grandfather’s dentures—to find common ground between people and ultimately recognize our shared humanity.

Lindstrom explained that after graduating from film school, he came back to Portland and worked on several projects with the Northwest Film Center. These projects involved teaching filmmaking to young people facing difficult circumstances – including those on probation, homeless teenagers, and people recovering from addiction – and helping them share their powerful stories through film.

He explained that those projects really showed him how powerful art can be. They also gave him the confidence to ask people if he could film their lives, hoping to help audiences understand their experiences – and ultimately, understand themselves better.

In his 2007 award-winning documentary, “Finding Normal,” Lindstrom used a realistic, cinéma-vérité approach to follow people struggling with long-term drug addiction. The film showed their journey as they left prison or detox and worked to rebuild their lives with the support of a recovery mentor.

Lindstrom expressed particular pride in the fact that his film, ‘Finding Normal,’ was the first—and only—one shown to inmates in solitary confinement at Oregon State Penitentiary, and importantly, it wasn’t used as a form of punishment.

In 2013, Lindstrom released a documentary called “Alien Boy: The Life and Death of James Chasse.” The film tells the story of a man living with schizophrenia and investigates the circumstances surrounding his death while in police custody. Lindstrom told LA Progressive in 2018 that he doesn’t create films with a specific audience in mind.

He explained that he creates his characters as a tribute to the real people they’re based on. He prioritizes truthfully portraying their lives, even the difficult parts, over worrying about how the audience might react. It’s his way of paying respect, and he doesn’t shy away from exploring challenging themes or personal struggles.

Lindstrom’s work sought to build understanding and compassion for people often overlooked by society, and it also led to real changes in policy. His well-regarded 2015 documentary, “Mothering Inside,” followed mothers in the Family Preservation Project (FPP), a program designed to help incarcerated mothers stay connected with their children.

Halfway through making the documentary, Oregon’s prison system announced it would stop funding the program featured in the film. Lindstrom quickly organized early showings, which sparked public support that eventually reached Governor Kate Brown. She then signed a law to restore the funding. The film’s release also led Oregon to become the first state in the country to establish a bill of rights for children with parents in prison.

In 2019, Lindstrom collaborated with Strayed to create the New York Times documentary short, “I Am Not Untouchable. I Just Have My Period,” which focused on the challenges faced by teenage girls in Surkhet, Nepal, due to menstrual stigma. Her most recent work, “Lost Angel: The Genius of Judee Sill,” is a film about folk-rock singer Judee Sill, tracing her life from a difficult childhood and struggles with addiction to her success in the Laurel Canyon music scene and her tragic early death.

Filmmaker Lindstrom, when talking about his movie “Judee Sill,” explained that he likes to explore what it means to be human. He focuses on what the subject of his films can teach us – and themselves – about life.

In 2017, Lindstrom was honored by two organizations for his commitment to civil rights. The American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon presented him with their Civil Liberties Award, and Lewis & Clark College recognized him as a Distinguished Alumnus.

When announcing Lindstrom’s passing, Strayed called their relationship of over 30 years a remarkably fortunate one.

She described a deep and joyful love for her husband and their children. He was a wonderful husband and an amazing father, consistently kind, compassionate, and generous in everything he did. He always looked for the best in people, believing everyone deserved compassion and had the potential for good.

He was a documentary filmmaker who focused on sharing the stories of people society had overlooked or dismissed. He used his camera and his compassion to give them a voice and reclaim their dignity.

Cheryl Strayed’s memoir tells the story of her 1,100-mile hike on the Pacific Crest Trail, which she undertook after experiencing personal hardship – her mother’s death, struggles with addiction, and a divorce. The book ends on a hopeful note, with Strayed completing the hike and finding a sense of peace. She describes sitting on a bench near the Bridge of the Gods, a place that would later become significant as the location of her wedding to Lindstrom four years later.

She shared that his children, Carver and Bobbi, truly represent the best of their father. Throughout this incredibly difficult time, they have shown remarkable strength, courage, and poise, qualities he instilled in them with his constant love. His family is heartbroken and doesn’t know how to move forward without him. They will navigate this painful journey by seeking the beauty he always saw in the world, letting his memory be their guiding light.

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2026-05-16 07:31