Stream now with KPBS+
POV presents "Remake," directed and produced by pioneering filmmaker Ross McElwee and produced by Mark Meatto. Drawing from decades of family footage, some filmed by McElwee and some by his son Adrian, the documentary—which had its world premiere at the 2025 Venice International Film Festival, where it received the Golden Globes Impact Prize for Documentary— chronicles a father confronting the death of his son and the complicated process of holding on while learning to let go.
Trailer for Remake by director Ross McElwee.
As McElwee revisits the images that captured Adrian throughout his life, "Remake" becomes an intimate reflection on grief, memory, and the enduring bond between father and son.
Praised as “one of the year’s best documentaries” by The Boston Globe’s Odie Henderson, "Remake" will make its national broadcast premiere on POV as part of the series’ 39th season.
McElwee’s deeply personal approach to filmmaking has influenced generations of nonfiction storytellers. Beginning with his landmark 1986 documentary "Sherman's March"—widely regarded as one of the most influential personal documentaries ever made—he established a singular cinematic voice that continues to resonate today. With "Remake," McElwee confronts one of the most profound losses of his life, reconsidering his relationship with Adrian and what a lifetime of filming the people he loves means after they are gone.
Warmth and humor run throughout "Remake." Interwoven with Adrian’s lively presence is the lingering shadow of an abandoned Hollywood adaptation of "Sherman’s March," which allows McElwee’s characteristic dry humor to emerge. This thread adds another dimension to the film’s exploration of unfinished stories, the passage of time, and the ways cinema can reshape our understanding of the past.
Long before smartphones and social media made constant documentation of family life commonplace, McElwee was recording his family with remarkable candor. "Remake" raises timely questions about the role cameras play in family life. The film considers what it means to record a child’s life, preserve those memories and share intimate family moments publicly—questions that have become increasingly relevant in an era when so much of everyday life unfolds on camera.
“My film is first and foremost about a father’s love for his son, and the fragile bond that camera created between us,” said Ross McElwee, director of "Remake." “It represents both my attempt to hold onto my son, and to let him go. But 'Remake' also offers a personal perspective on how the opioid crisis was allowed to reach its present level—one million U.S. deaths and counting. I would hope the film offers solace to folks who have lost loved ones to addiction, or at least reminds them that they are not alone as they learn to live with loss.”
Watch On Your Schedule: The film will be available to stream through Nov. 7, 2026 with KPBS+, a new free streaming video app designed for ease and enjoyment everywhere you watch including Roku, smart TVs and mobile devices. It’s locally curated for San Diego by the KPBS programming team. With a clean and intuitive design, discovering and enjoying KPBS and PBS content on-demand has never been easier.
You can also tune in live to watch our four TV channels in real time: KPBS, KPBS 2, Create, KPBS Kids 24/7. We also added a new channel - FNX (First Nation Experience). Your KPBS Passport member benefit works on KPBS+ too! You’ll have access to even more great shows when you simply log in with your KPBS Passport account.
About The Series: For nearly four decades, POV has been America's longest-running nonfiction series, and a home for independent documentaries bringing award-winning stories that challenge assumptions, deepen understanding and inspire meaningful conversation. Co-produced with ITVS.
