Quick: Name a filmmaker who in the last five years has made groundbreaking, controversial, Oscar-nominated documentaries about difficult and relevant social and political subjects; confronts government policy in print, film, web, and TV; and continues to be a cultural provocateur, whether you agree with him or not.

Hint: He's a nominee tonight.

And he's not Michael Moore.

He's Alex Gibney, the writer/producer/director of Taxi to the Dark Side, an Oscar nominee for Documentary Feature.  A few years ago, Alex was nominated in the same category for his brilliant Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room. He's already won an Emmy and a Grammy (No word yet on his Tony plans).

Taxi to the Dark Side is still playing in theatres and will premiere on HBO in September.  Alex is also the executive producer of another nominee in the Best Documentary Feature category tonight, No End In Sight.  His next film is Gonzo: the Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson

I interviewed Alex via e-mail on the morning of the Oscars, and asked him about having fun amidst the topic of torture, the responsibilities of documentarians, and what it's like to lose an award to a French film about penguins.

J. Keith van Straaten: How did you find out about your nomination?

Alex Gibney: I was asleep. My co-producer, Eva Orner, woke me up to tell me.

JKvS: What would a win mean for you -personally and for your film?

AG: It would give "Taxi to the Dark Side" the show business recognition it needs to encourage people to take a trip over to the "dark side." It's a difficult subject -torture-but I think that viewers who see it will be deeply moved by the human stories we tell.

JKvS: What do you think makes a documentary good?

AG: The best documentaries explore, in unpredictable ways, people, politics and places of the human heart that are otherwise difficult to see. Night and Fog, The Sorrow and the Pity, and Gimme Shelter are three [of the best]. There are many more.

JKvS: How do you feel about having Michael Moore as competition in your category?

AG: Fine. Michael's a good guy who has done a lot for documentaries. The Academy should sit him with the rest of us. I'm not concerned about the competition; it's not why I make my movies.

JKvS: Do you think that Oscar-winners should make political speeches? Is it different when the winner is involved in a political film?

AG: I think Oscar-winners should do whatever they feel is right. What's the big deal? The Oscars are supposed to be about artistic expression. It's not just about the red carpet.  I'm interested in what people have to say. The Academy could ban thank-yous ...otherwise bring it on.

JKvS: Most nominees view the Oscars as fun. The subject matter of your documentary is about as serious as it gets. Are the Oscars still fun for you?

AG: It was bad enough that my team and I had to spend over a year chronicling an official policy of torture. I can't let the Bush Administration spoil all my fun.  I suppose I should be grateful that the White House is not forcing me to wear an orange jumpsuit and a black hood to the red carpet.

JKvS:  So you don't take this too seriously?

AG:  I think there's a difference between serious and somber. Many of the fiction films this year are serious. Like "Taxi," they explore the "dark side." They are reflections of the times we live in.

JKvS: Speaking of which, many of the comments we've received on the Blog have been about how there are more important issues in the world than the Oscars and that Hollywood is hopelessly self-obsessed.

AG: Self-obsessed? Hollywood? Wherever did you get such an idea? In the grand scheme of things, Oscars don't matter that much -- but it can be fun to play dress-up. And, thanks to the wonderful people at Armani, my wife has a beautiful gown.

JKvS: So, do the Oscars matter? Can movies make a difference?

AG: Movies can make a difference. Art is important. But so are doctors, teachers, and construction workers.

JKvS: Pardon my naiveté, but why do you suppose more people aren't outraged by the issue of torture and the story you document? Did you not think that your film showed images and evidence that would shock the nation's conscience into action?

AG: I don't understand why more people aren't outraged. Perhaps they are afraid. But fear is not a good motivator in waging a "war on terror." As Alberto Mora, the former Gen. Counsel of the Navy says in our film, "We fight not only to defend lives; we fight to defend our principles."

JKvS: You were nominated previously for Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room. What do you remember most about that Oscar night?

AG: I remember strolling down the red carpet with my wife, looking lovely in her black gown. I noticed a photographer looking straight at me and I assumed he wanted to take a picture. "Please get out of the way," he said, "Jennifer Aniston is coming." That -- and the stuffed penguins on the laps of the ultimate doc winners that year -- gave me a sense of "perspective."

JKvS: What and/or who are you most looking forward to seeing tonight?

AG: The olive in my first martini after the awards are over.