Martin Doblmeier is an American documentary filmmaker, known for directing films for Public Television including Bonhoffer (2003) The Power of Forgiveness (2007), An American Conscience: The Reinhold Niebuhr Story (2017), and Backs Against The Wall: The Howard Thurman Story (2019). Doblmeier is the founder of Journey Films Inc, a film and television production company focused creating content on religion, faith and spirituality based in Alexandria, Virginia. In addition to numerous awards for film, Doblmeier has three honorary degrees.
Early life and education
Doblmeier was born on April 13, 1951, in Queens, New York to Joseph and Marilyn Doblmeier. The oldest son, he was followed by a brother, Robert and a sister, Debbie. Joseph Doblmeier was a convention manager and the family moved from New York City to Virginia and then to Rhode Island.
Doblmeier attended Bishop Hendricken High School in Warwick, Rhode Island from 1965–1969. Then from 1969–1973, he attended Providence College in Providence, Rhode Island majoring in Religious Studies. From 1978–1979 he attended Boston University's School of Public Communication (now College of Communication) graduating with a Master of Science degree in Broadcast Journalism.
Early career
In 1976–1977, he was staff writer at the Providence Visitor (now the Rhode Island Catholic) covering area religious news and contributing articles to the Catholic News Service. In 1980, he created the nationally syndicated television series Real to Reel. It was one of the first major productions for the newly formed Catholic Communications Campaign, part of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Real to Reel profiled leading religious figures, particularly in the Catholic Church. The first program featured Mother Teresa who had recently won the Nobel Peace Prize.
Journey Films
In 1985, Doblmeier launched Journey Films, to further produce major documentary films for national broadcast.
Early films
The first film created was The Heart Has Its Reasons, a profile of Jean Vanier and his L'Arche communities for men and women with intellectual disabilities. The film won Doblmeier his first Gabriel Award and was broadcast on television stations and around the world. Following The Heart Has Its Reasons were two more film about communities of faith; Taize: That Little Springtime about the Taize Community in France and Grounds for Peace, about the Corrymeela Community in Northern Ireland. Both programs aired on Public Television.
Other films followed including Creativity: Touching the Divine, Final Blessing, Take Away This Anger and American Byzantine.
Bonhoeffer
Journey Films produced Bonhoeffer (2003), a feature-length documentary film on the German pastor and Nazi resister, Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Released into theaters and airing nationally on Public Broadcasting System, The Los Angeles Times wrote: "a heroic odyssey that is illuminated with admirable clarity in Martin Doblmeier's outstanding documentary”. The New York Times wrote: “Martin Doblmeier has assembled a touching narrative on the nature of faith.”
The Power of Forgiveness
The Power of Forgiveness (2007) is a film consisting of dramatic short stories profiling the Amish, Holocaust survivor and author Elie Wiesel, Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh and others. Screening events were held nationwide including at the United Nations, the Washington National Cathedral and a special screening in honor of the tragedy at Virginia Tech. The film won top honors at the Sun Valley Film Festival. A companion book, written by former New York Times religion writer Kenneth Briggs was released with the film.
The Adventist Trilogy
A series of films on the Seventh-day Adventist Church followed, including The Adventists, The Adventists 2, and The BLUEPRINT: The Story of Adventist Education. Each aired nationally on American Public Television.
Chaplains
A two-hour long documentary film by Doblmeier, Chaplains showed individuals from Christian, Catholic, Buddhist, Muslim, and Jewish faith traditions serving in the military, prisons, police departments and other secular professions. The film also included profiles of United States House of Representatives chaplain Patrick Conroy, and United States Senate chaplain Barry Black.