LAMAMIMET

Brian Lindstrom was born on February 12, 1961, in Portland, Oregon, the son of a bartender and a liquor salesman. He was the first in his family to attend college, earning a communications degree from Lewis & Clark College before completing an MFA in screenwriting and film directing at Columbia University.

Lindstrom became known for cinéma‑vérité documentaries that gave voice to society’s underdogs. His 2007 film Finding Normal followed long‑term drug addicts rebuilding their lives and won awards at the Astoria International and Longbaugh Film Festivals. He later directed Alien Boy: The Life and Death of James Chasse (2013), examining a man with schizophrenia who died in police custody, and Lost Angel: The Genius of Judee Sill (2024), which earned Documentary of the Year at the Docnroll Film Festival. His work also included Kicking, To Pay My Way With Stories, and the narrative short Lucy’s Room.

In addition to filmmaking, Lindstrom taught at the Northwest Film Center’s Young Filmmakers Program, using video to empower at‑risk youth. He was married to author Cheryl Strayed, with whom he had two children, and he received honors such as the ACLU of Oregon Civil Liberties Award (2017) and a Distinguished Alumni Award from Lewis & Clark College. Lindstrom died on May 15, 2026, at age 65, after a battle with progressive supranuclear palsy.