‘Myopically arrogant’ America needs understanding of ‘warts and all’ history, filmmaker Ken Burns says

Ken Burns is widely recognised as one of the finest documentary filmmakers of our time.

For more than 30 years he has chronicled the American experience on film, covering topics as varied as Muhammad Ali, the Vietnam War and the history of country music.

His latest two-part film explores the life and work of Benjamin Franklin – one of America’s founding fathers.

Matt Frei spoke to the filmmaker.