“I Think the Public Deserves More Transparency”: Brian Knappenberger on His Horrifying Netflix Docu-Series, The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez

The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez is a six-part Netflix docu-series from Brian Knappenberger (Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press) that delves into one of the most horrific crimes to hit Los Angeles headlines in recent years — the death of eight-year-old Gabriel Fernandez at the hands of his mother and her boyfriend after years of physical torture and emotional abuse. Taking as its starting point the courtroom drama of death penalty defendant Isauro Aguirre (after one too many outbursts from Gabriel’s mom Pearl Fernandez the accused murderers are ultimately tried separately), the series soon becomes something else entirely — a Kafka-esque saga of systemic culpability ensnaring everyone from Board of Supervisors politicos to overworked Department of Children and Family Services social workers (four of whom found themselves facing unprecedented criminal charges of their own). In other words, the sprawling scope of the story practically requires the docu-series treatment in order to do justice to Gabriel’s tragic case.

Filmmaker caught up with the busy director, in production on his latest, a few days before The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez‘s February 26th Netflix debut.

To read my interview visit Filmmaker magazine.