Biography

Joshua Zeman is a leading voice in documentary filmmaking, known for his critically acclaimed true crime and investigative storytelling. His 2009 film Cropsey is regarded as one of the most influential true crime documentaries of all time, blending horror with real-life mystery. Zeman also directed The Killing Season, a docuseries that helped shed new light on the Gilgo Beach murders, and Murder Mountain, a deep dive into the dark side of the marijuana industry. His 2021 series, The Sons of Sam, was the #1 most-watched Netflix series at the time of its release, while his documentary The Loneliest Whale, produced by Leonardo DiCaprio, earned multiple Critics Choice Award nominations and was called "a modern-day Moby Dick" by the LA Times.

Most recently, Zeman directed Checkpoint Zoo, a film detailing the evacuation of more than 5000 animals from a zoo in war-torn Ukraine, which won the Audience Award at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival. On the narrative side, Zeman's screenplay Fresh Kills was optioned by New Line and Forensic Films, and his work has earned him multiple fellowships. His production credits include acclaimed films like The Station Agent and Mysterious Skin, solidifying his reputation in both the documentary and narrative film worlds.
- IMDb mini biography by: Andrew Pirkle

Zeman is the name of the lower nobility in the Bohemia, Moravia, Poland and Hungary.

His surname comes from Czech, Polish and Slovak language.