VIDEO: TIFF doc searches for the real Sarah Palin

Over the years, Nick Broomfield has trained his lens on a diverse crop of subjects, includingformer Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss, rappers Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls, doomed grungecouple Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love and the Iron Lady herself, former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher.

This time around, the acclaimed British documentarian focuses on Sarah Palin, the former governor of Alaska who was rocketed into the political spotlight in 2008when she joined the Republican presidential ticket with John McCain.

In Sarah Palin: You Betcha!, Broomfield tries to track her down for an interview, in the process travelling to Palin's hometown of Wasilla, Alaska, where he interviews friends, family, neighbours and former colleagues.

Broomfield spoke to CBC News about how he was able to paint an effective portrait of Palin without actually interviewing her.