By most accounts, billionaire Microsoft founder Bill Gates is a pretty great guy. Of course, his reputation for being a decent human comes from his seemingly endless philanthropy, as Gates and his wife have donated billions to charity over the years. And now, Gates gets put under the microscope in the upcoming documentary “Inside Bill’s Brain: Decoding Bill Gates.”
What makes Bill Gates tick? That seems to be the driving force of the new 3-part documentary. In the first trailer for ‘Inside Bill’s Brain,’ we see that the scope of the project includes Gates’ early life, his relationship with his mother, and the creation of Microsoft. Of course, the thrust of the back half of the doc is focused on the billionaire’s realization that he can use his famous brain to not just work on the future of computing, but actually attempt to solve some of the world’s bigger issues, such as famine, disease, and climate change.
The new doc comes from the Oscar-winning director Davis Guggenheim. The director won his Academy Award a little over 10 years ago for his climate change film, “An Inconvenient Truth.” Guggenheim is probably also known for helming projects like the doc “He Named Me Malala,” as well as various TV series such as “The Shield,” “Deadwood,” and “24.”
“Inside Bill’s Brain: Decoding Bill Gates” debuts at this year’s Telluride before landing on Netflix on September 20.
Here’s the synopsis:
From Academy Award-winning director Davis Guggenheim (An Inconvenient Truth, He Named Me Malala) comes Inside Bill’s Brain: Decoding Bill Gates, a new three-part documentary that explores the mind and motivations of celebrated tech visionary, business leader, and philanthropist Bill Gates. After stepping down as CEO of Microsoft, Gates began what is undeniably one of the greatest professional second acts in modern history when he shifted his time and considerable intellect toward solving some of the world’s most persistent problems. The series, in-depth and unfiltered in its depiction of a man’s life journey, both his triumphs and setbacks, offers unprecedented access to Gates as he pursues unique solutions to some of the world’s most complex problems with the same level of optimism, curiosity, and fervor that inspired his original vision for Microsoft. Interweaving these endeavors with personal moments, Inside Bill’s Brain draws on interviews with Bill and Melinda Gates in addition to their friends, family, and partners in philanthropy and business, creating an innovative and revealing portrait of a man who, after changing the world, might just change the way others see it.