February 13, 2016
Black Panthers and Black Lives Matter Quiz
Independent Lens in Test Your Knowledge
It was 50 years ago that the Black Panther Party, originally the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, was formed in Oakland, California by Bobby Seale and Huey Newton. The Black Panther…...
February 11, 2016
Stanley Nelson Reveals the Real Black Panther Party
Craig Phillips in Interviews
Filmmaker Stanley Nelson, who won an Emmy for the PBS documentary The Murder of Emmett Till, three Emmys for Freedom Riders, and made an acclaimed film about Marcus Garvey, has for years…...
February 10, 2016
The Black Panthers Mixtape
Independent Lens in Lists
For The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution, which aired on Independent Lens, you can plug in, turn on, and get down with our curated Spotify playlist. The set joins the…...
February 08, 2016
A Ballerina’s Tale: Misty’s Career in Jeopardy
Independent Lens in
...
February 06, 2016
Nelson George Captures the Poise of Misty Copeland to Tell a Ballerina’s Tale
Independent Lens in Behind the Films
Author, filmmaker, television producer, and critic Nelson George may have worn a lot of hats in his long career, but his love for music has been constant throughout. He's published numerous non-fiction…...
February 05, 2016
Breaking Barriers on Stage: African American Ballet Dancers Who Made History
Craig Phillips in Beyond the Films
As we learn in A Ballerina's Tale, Nelson George's new documentary about Misty Copeland's Eurocentric standards of body shape, muscle tone, and skin color excluded dancers who didn't fit the wan mold…...
January 30, 2016
Renee Tajima-Peña on the Women of the Madrigal vs Quilligan Case
Craig Phillips in Interviews
Filmmaker Renee Tajima-Peña was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary for her film Who Killed Vincent Chin?, which aired on PBS back in 1989. She's hardly sat still since then;…...
January 29, 2016
Unwanted Sterilization and Eugenics Programs in the United States
Lisa Ko in Beyond the Films
Coerced sterilization is a shameful part of America’s history, and one doesn't have to go too far back to find examples of it. Used as a means of controlling “undesirable”…...
January 23, 2016
Hawaiian Food: A History and Recipes for Your Football Feast
Independent Lens in Beyond the Films
Honolulu chef Mark Noguchi of Mission Social Hall & Cafe and his wife Amanda make a great team. "One of us handles the logistics and delegates responsibilities (so we don’t end up…...
January 21, 2016
Tony Vainuku and Erika Cohn Tell the Story of a Unique Football Culture
Craig Phillips in Interviews
Utah-based filmmakers Tony Vainuku and Erika Cohn come from different professional backgrounds - Tony, who comes from a culture of Polynesian traditions and a family of athletes, once played football himself…...
January 09, 2016
More Than Rain Man: Autism Portrayals on Screen
Noel Murray in Beyond the Films
For a long time, the Oscar-winning 1988 drama Rain Man wasn’t just the best-known representation of autism on film, it was a lot of people’s only frame of reference for…...
January 07, 2016
Matt Fuller Explores the Autism Spectrum with Intimate Film
Craig Phillips in Behind the Films
Filmmaker Matt Fuller began his career in Hollywood, working for Sony Pictures in various capacities (on such films as Vacancy, Prom Night, and The Stepfather), and went on to supervise the development and production…...