Michael Kirk

Directing

Michael Kirk

Born November 6, 1947 · Denver, Colorado, USA (age 78)

Michael Kirk is a documentary filmmaker and partial creator of the PBS show Frontline, where he worked as senior producer until 1987. Kirk owns a production company, the Kirk Documentary Group, in Brookline, Massachusetts. He is a former Nieman Fellow in Journalism at Harvard University. He has produced such documentaries as "Inside the Meltdown," about the 2008 financial crisis, "Bush's War," abo…

Known For

The GrudgeThe Grudge · 2004
The Grudge
5.92004
MovieHorrorMystery
An American nurse living and working in Tokyo is exposed to a mysterious supernatural curse, one that locks a person in a powerful rage before claiming their life and spreading to another victim.
The Grudge 2The Grudge 2 · 2006
The Grudge 2
5.62006
MovieHorrorThriller
A young woman encounters a malevolent supernatural force while searching for her missing sister in Tokyo, a mean high school prank goes horribly wrong, and strange things begin happening in a Chicago apartment building.
Netanyahu at WarNetanyahu at War · 2016
Netanyahu at War
8.02016
MovieDocumentary
The inside story of the bitter clash between President Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. Amid violence in the Middle East, the film traces Netanyahu's rise to power and his high-stakes fight with the president over Iran's nuclear program.
American PornAmerican Porn · 2002
American Porn
5.02002
MovieDocumentary
It's one of the hottest industries in America. Easier to order at home than a pizza, bigger than rock music, it's arguably the most profitable enterprise in cyberspace. AT&T has been in the business. Yahoo! has profited from it. Westin and Marriott have made more money selling it than selling snacks and drinks in their mini-bars. And with estimates as high as $10 billion a year, it boasts the kind of earnings that most American businesses would envy. It's pornography.
United States of ConspiracyUnited States of Conspiracy · 2020
United States of Conspiracy
3.02020
MovieDocumentary
How trafficking in conspiracy theories went from the fringes of U.S. politics into the White House.
The War CabinetThe War Cabinet · 2026
The War Cabinet
10.02026
MovieDocumentary
Rubio. Vance. Wiles. Gabbard. Hegseth. Miller. These are some of the key players behind President Donald Trump's expansive use of the U.S. military. FRONTLINE examines the inner circle of advisors and officials trying to project U.S. power, from clashes with allies, to taking out foreign leaders, to waging war in the Middle East. • "The War Cabinet"
Biden's DecisionBiden's Decision · 2024
Biden's Decision
2024
MovieDocumentary
The inside story of Biden’s rise to the presidency, and the personal and political forces that shaped him and led to his dramatic decision to step aside.
The Rise of RFK Jr.The Rise of RFK Jr. · 2025
The Rise of RFK Jr.
2025
MovieDocumentary
Tracing the dramatic and controversial rise of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., FRONTLINE examines how the scion of a storied dynasty endured tragedy and scandal, broke with the Democratic Party and his family, stoked conspiracy theories, and is reshaping government and public health.

Filmography

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The Choice 2024: Harris vs. TrumpThe Choice 2024: Harris vs. Trump · 2024
The Choice 2024: Harris vs. Trump
7.62024
MovieDocumentaryHistory
The documentary investigates the lives and characters of Kamala Harris and Donald Trump as they seek the presidency. In a historic election, those who know the candidates best reveal key moments that shape how they would lead America. Award-winning filmmaker Michael Kirk and his team sat down with Trump and Harris’ friends, advisors and critics, as well as authors, journalists and political insiders to present deeply reported narrative arcs of both candidates’ lives, going all the way back to their childhoods. What emerges in FRONTLINE's "The Choice 2024: Harris vs. Trump" is the story of two fighters: One seeking vindication and promising a return to greatness, and the other seeking to move beyond the past and promising a greater future.

Director

EndgameEndgame · 2007
Endgame
5.02007
MovieDocumentary
As the United States begins one final effort to secure victory through a “surge” of troops, FRONTLINE investigates how strategic and tactical mistakes brought Iraq to civil war. The film recounts how the early mandate to create the conditions for a quick exit of the American military led to chaos, failure, and sectarian strife. In Endgame, producer Michael Kirk (Rumsfeld’s War, The Torture Question, The Dark Side, and The Lost Year in Iraq) traces why the president decided to risk what military planners once warned could be the worst way to fight in Iraq — door-to-door — and assesses the likelihood of its success. Top administration figures, military commanders, and journalists offer inside details about the new strategy.

Director