October 27, 2016
Cats of Documentaries
Craig Phillips in Film History
"I love cats because I enjoy my home; and little by little, they become its visible soul.”—Filmmaker Jean Cocteau (Orpheus; Beauty and the Beast) International Cat Day is August 8…...
September 30, 2016
Quiz: Are You Buckley or Vidal?
Independent Lens in Test Your Knowledge
In 1968, opposing intellectual forces William F. Buckley and Gore Vidal squared off in a series of nationally televised debates during one of our nation's most turbulent election cycles. With a…...
September 27, 2016
Evolution of TV Political Pundits: The Legacy of Buckley and Vidal
Craig Phillips in Beyond the Films
As depicted in Best of Enemies, bitter intellectual rivals Willam F. Buckley and Gore Vidal eviscerating each other with wit on network TV in 1968 made for riveting, and sometimes jaw-dropping, television. It…...
September 27, 2016
Morgan Neville and Robert Gordon Peel the Layers of Buckley and Vidal
Craig Phillips in Behind the Films
It's not often you'll find a documentary filmmaking team who combined have won an Oscar, an Emmy, and a Grammy, but the multi-faceted duo of Morgan Neville and Robert Gordon have done…...
September 22, 2016
The Homestretch Wins 2016 News and Doc Emmy Award
Craig Phillips in Awards
We were pleased to learn that The Homestretch took home a News and Documentary Emmy® Award for Outstanding Business and Economic Reporting, in the News & Doc Emmy Awards ceremony held at New…...
August 15, 2016
Independent Lens Audience Award Survey!
Independent Lens in Awards
Vote now for your own personal favorite from the just-concluded 2015-2016 season of Independent Lens. The voting period will run through 5 pm PT Monday, August 29. There were 21…...
July 27, 2016
In the Ring with the USA’s First Women’s Boxing Olympic Gold Medalist
Craig Phillips in Interviews
Zackary Canepari and Drea Cooper's film T-Rex: Her Fight for Gold tells the story of Claressa "T-Rex" Shields, who at the 2012 London Olympics became the first American woman to win…...
July 18, 2016
Twin Sisters Are Growing Up (and Getting a Sequel)
Craig Phillips in Where Are They Now?
The many global fans of our film Twin Sisters are constantly asking us for any kind of update on the twin girls featured in Mona Friis Bertheussen's popular documentary. After…...
July 15, 2016
10 Reasons to Root for Olympic Boxer Claressa Shields
Independent Lens in Lists
Get in Claressa Shields' corner with 10 memorable T-Rex: Her Fight For Gold moments. 1. While her friends spent Friday nights partying, she logged long hours alone in the gym. …...
July 11, 2016
From Alice Guy-Blaché to Barbara Kopple: The Pioneering Women of Documentary Film
Maryann Johanson in Film History
When we talk about the early years of cinema, there is no separating “the history of women in film” from “the history of film.” Women have been there from the beginning,…...
June 13, 2016
Dawn Porter Unlocks the Story of Laws Targeting Abortion Providers
Craig Phillips in Behind the Films
Filmmaker Dawn Porter has shown a willingness to probe uncomfortable truths and untold stories in the past. LA Times critic Robert Lloyd called her acclaimed Independent Lens film Spies of Mississippi "eye-opening" for…...
June 09, 2016
Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt: What the Supreme Court Is Deciding in the Most Important Abortion Ruling in Decades (Updated 2022)
Independent Lens in Beyond the Films
[caption id="attachment_13448" align="alignnone" width="1920"] The Supreme Court of the United States, including the late Antonin Scalia (there are currently eight justices until a ninth is confirmed).[/caption] By Marcia Coyle @MarciaCoyle Guest…...