Peter Nicks

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Peter Olivera Nicks (born May 2, 1968) is an American film director, producer, cinematographer and writer, known for his Oakland Trilogy of documentary films, including The Waiting Room (2012), The Force (2017), and Homeroom (2021). He is a co-founder of Proximity Media alongside Ryan Coogler, Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian, Ludwig Göransson, and Archie Davis, is the founder of Open'hood, Inc., a Bay Area nonprofit producing independent documentaries, and serves on the board of trustees at the Sundance Institute.

Career

Nicks began his career in television and served as Producer on the “Heavy Lifting” segment of the PBS show “Life 360” - “Bridges” episode in 2001. He was co-producer and editor of the 2006 episode "Blame Somebody Else" of PBS series AIR: America's Investigative Reports. The episode received an Emmy Award in 2007 for Outstanding Feature Story in a News Magazine,[1] for its exposure of the pipeline of illegal labor human trafficking during the Iraq War.[2] In 2009 he founded Open'hood Inc., a Bay Area nonprofit that produces independent documentaries.[3][4]

He directed the 2012 documentary film The Waiting Room, which was shortlisted for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.[5] It also won the Truer Than Fiction Award at the Independent Spirit Awards, where it was also nominated for Best Documentary.[6][7]. The film follows the life and times of patients, doctors, and staff at Highland Hospital, a safety-net hospital in Oakland, California.[8]

In 2015, Nicks received a United States Artists (USA) fellowship.[9][10]

In 2017, he released The Force, a documentary about reform measures at the Oakland Police Department.[11] The film won the Directing Prize at the Sundance Film Festival[12].

In January 2021, the third in his planned trilogy about Oakland public institutions, Homeroom (2021 film), received its world premiere at the online Sundance Film Festival.[11] The film is a documentary following the Oakland High School class of 2020 through their senior year. The 2019-2020 year started normally, with students focusing on education as well as activism for social justice. But it took an unexpected turn when the COVID-19 pandemic forced the students into isolation, with virtual classes and no graduation ceremony.[13] The film received the inaugural Jonathan Oppenheim Editing Award at the Sundance Film Festival.[14][15]

In 2021, Nicks co-founded Proximity Media as Head of Nonfiction alongside Ryan Coogler, Zinzi Coogler, Sev Ohanian, Ludwig Göransson, and Archie Davis.[16][17]

Nicks next directed Stephen Curry: Underrated, which premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival.[18] Also in 2023, Nicks directed Anthem, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival.[19] Produced by Ryan Coogler and Kris Bowers, the film follows composer Kris Bowers and producer Dahi as they travel across the United States to create a new anthem.[20] He also joined the Sundance Institute's board of trustees the same year.[21][22][23]

In 2025, Nicks served as an executive producer on Hurricane Katrina: Race Against Time directed by Traci A. Curry, for National Geographic.[24]

References

  1. 28th Annual News & Documentary Emmy Awards forArchived 2010-12-15 at the Wayback Machine. National Television Academy. Revised 11.21.07 Retrieved 2012-07-20.
  2. AIR:Blame Somebody Else Deprecated link archived 2013-02-21 at archive.today. Actual Films. Retrieved 2012-07-19.
  3. Whalen, Kelly (2018-01-25). "Filmmaker Peter Nicks Navigates Opposing Worlds in 'The Force' | KQED". www.kqed.org. Retrieved 2026-06-17.
  4. Roberts, Andrea Suozzo, Alec Glassford, Ash Ngu, Brandon (2013-05-09). "Openhood Inc - Nonprofit Explorer". ProPublica. Retrieved 2026-06-17.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. Team, The Deadline (2012-12-03). "OSCARS: 15 Films On Docu Feature Shortlist". Deadline. Retrieved 2026-06-17.
  6. Morfoot, Addie (2013-02-22). "Nick's 'Waiting Room' strikes a nerve". Variety. Retrieved 2026-06-17.
  7. "WINNERS ANNOUNCED FOR 2013 SPIRIT AWARDS". Film Independent. Retrieved 2026-06-17.
  8. LaSalle, Mick (December 27, 2012). "Mick LaSalle's top 10 movies for 2012". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  9. "United States Artists » Peter Nicks". Retrieved 2023-02-27.
  10. Fox, Michael (2015-12-02). "Pete Nicks Turns His Lens on the Oakland Police Department". www.alamedamagazine.com. Retrieved 2026-06-17.
  11. Myers, Randy (January 25, 2021). "Sundance 2021: two Bay Area films debut, steeped in tragedy". San Diego Mercury News. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  12. Debruge, Peter (2017-01-29). "Sundance Winners: 'I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore,' 'Dina' Top Festival Awards". Variety. Retrieved 2026-06-17.
  13. Bugbee, Teo (August 12, 2021). "'Homeroom' Review: Salutations for the Class of 2020". The New York Times. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  14. D'Alessandro, Anthony (2021-02-03). "Sundance Film Festival Awards 2021 Winners". Deadline. Retrieved 2026-06-17.
  15. Gardner, Chris (2023-01-24). "Sundance: Steph Curry Doc 'Underrated' Lights Up Fest With Standing Ovations on "Amazing Night" for NBA Star". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2026-06-17.
  16. Jr, Mike Fleming (2021-04-15). "Proximity Media Founders Ryan Coogler, Zinzi Coogler & Sev Ohanian Add Ludwig Göransson, Archie Davis & Peter Nicks To Brain Trust". Deadline. Retrieved 2026-06-17.
  17. Galuppo, Mia (2021-04-15). "Ryan Coogler's Proximity Production Banner to Encompass Nonfiction, Podcasting". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2026-06-17.
  18. "Stephen Curry: Underrated | 2023 Sundance Film Festival". festival.sundance.org. Retrieved 2023-01-18.
  19. "Anthem | 2023 Tribeca Festival". Tribeca. Retrieved 2026-06-17.
  20. Carey, Matthew (2023-06-07). "America Gets A New National Anthem In Tribeca Doc From Director Peter Nicks, Producer Ryan Coogler". Deadline. Retrieved 2026-06-17.
  21. Kaser, Anna (2023-10-19). "Sundance Institute Names Nina Fialkow, Pete Nicks, Kimberly Steward, and Tessa Thompson to Board of Trustees - sundance.org". Retrieved 2026-06-17.
  22. Complex, Valerie (2023-10-19). "Sundance Institute Adds Tessa Thompson, Nina Fialkow, Pete Nicks, And Kimberly Steward To Board Of Trustees". Deadline. Retrieved 2026-06-17.
  23. Galuppo, Mia (2023-10-19). "Tessa Thompson, Pete Nicks Join Sundance Board of Trustees". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2026-06-17.
  24. Harris, Raquel (June 26, 2025). "'Hurricane Katrina: Race Against Time' Trailer Shows the Resilience of Survivors During and After the 2005 Tragedy". The Wrap. Retrieved June 27, 2025.