Catching a moment with Ben Stiller at LDNDOCS festival this weekend was an absolute delight – even if I only had time for one question. And of course, I used it wisely: I asked him about parenting. After watching his deeply personal documentary Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost, I couldn’t resist asking how revisiting his own childhood – spent in the wings of showbiz with two legendary parents – shaped the father he is today. His reply was thoughtful, honest and surprisingly tender; the kind of answer that lingers long after you’ve left the cinema. You could feel how much love, reflection and emotional excavation went into making this film.
The screening was part of the very first LDNDOCS Documentary Showcase at Curzon Bloomsbury – an intimate new platform celebrating beautifully crafted nonfiction storytelling. Over one weekend, audiences were treated to ten extraordinary films exploring memory, time, creativity and the bonds that hold us together. London has long needed a boutique space for documentary lovers, and LDNDOCS has arrived with style.
Nothing Is Lost is a richly layered tribute to Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara – comedy royalty whose marriage, creative partnership and family life were so intertwined that separating the art from the home was almost impossible. Through an astonishing trove of rediscovered audio tapes, Stiller crafts a film that’s funny, intimate, occasionally chaotic and incredibly moving. It’s a portrait not just of two performers, but of a family navigating love, ambition and identity under the spotlight.
For me, the highlight was hearing Stiller reflect – both in the film and in person – on how those recordings changed his understanding of his parents, and in turn, his approach to being present for his own children. A rare, beautifully human conversation amid all the glamour.
The interview
Watch the full interview here.
Documentary highlights
Ben Stiller’s documentary Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost is rooted in a remarkable discovery: a trove of audio recordings made by his father, Jerry Stiller, capturing candid conversations and clashes with Anne Meara about their marriage and their comedy act. These intimate tapes became the emotional spine of the film, offering a rare window into the complexities of two performers who blurred the lines between art, family life and identity.
The documentary traces how Jerry Stiller, hungry for connection and approval, drew Meara – who longed to be a serious actor – into a comedy partnership that would transform their careers. Their act led to more than 30 appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, cementing them as a defining double act of their era. Alongside this professional history, Stiller reflects on the lively, unconventional childhood he and his sister experienced: late-night club gigs, extraordinary New Year’s Eve parties, and early exposure to film sets that shaped his own path into filmmaking.
The film also explores the challenges of being raised by two public figures whose lives were inseparable from their work, from moments of emotional distance to the humour and chaos that filled their household. Stiller recalls everything from sneaking into Studio 54 as a teenager to the tenderness his father showed when guiding him through a bad LSD experience – stories that reveal the contradictions and warmth of family life behind the celebrity façade.
The documentary culminates with Jerry Stiller’s later-life success on Seinfeld as Frank Costanza, a role that fulfilled a long-held dream and brought him the recognition he had always craved. Throughout, Stiller approaches his parents’ legacy with honesty, affection and insight, creating a portrait of two artists whose partnership shaped not only American comedy, but the childhood of the filmmaker who now tells their story.
A huge thank you to LDNDOCS for creating such a special space for documentary storytelling – and for bringing such a remarkable filmmaker to London for a weekend to remember.
Monica Costa founded London Mums in September 2006 after her son Diego’s birth together with a group of mothers who felt the need of meeting up regularly to share the challenges and joys of motherhood in metropolitan and multicultural London. London Mums is the FREE and independent peer support group for mums and mumpreneurs based in London https://www.londonmumsmagazine.com and you can connect on Twitter @londonmums
