November 20, 2015
Sophie Sartain Finds Resonance in Her Family’s Caregiving Story
Craig Phillips in Interviews
Longtime documentary film writer, editor, and fundraiser Sophie Sartain decided to go personal for her directorial debut. Her film Mimi and Dona enters the world of Sophie's grandmother and developmentally disabled aunt, who after…...
November 14, 2015
Anti-Rape Culture Activism Takes to the Streets and Online
Craig Phillips in Beyond the Films
When you watch the harrowing, even jaw-dropping, film India's Daughter, which premieres Monday on Independent Lens [check local listings], the case of the rape and murder of Jyoti Singh will stay with…...
November 13, 2015
India’s Daughter Director Leslee Udwin on the Rape Case that Shocked a Nation
Craig Phillips in Interviews
[caption id="attachment_11517" align="alignnone" width="813"] Candle-lit vigils were held throughout India to mourn the death of Jyoti Singh[/caption] It should go without saying that documentary filmmakers put their hearts and souls…...
November 11, 2015
Eight Gripping Documentaries (and Five Feature Films) to Watch on Veterans Day
Christine Kwon in Lists
Established in 1919 by President Woodrow Wilson, Veterans Day (which is always November 11, to commemorate the date when WWI armistice was signed) has become a tradition to “honor America's veterans…...
November 09, 2015
“Stray Dog” Updates: Ron Advises Veterans and His Stepsons Check In
Craig Phillips in Interviews
Stray Dog filmmaker Debra Granik, on our behalf, checked back in with the subjects of her film, Ron "Stray Dog" Hall, and his Mexican-born stepsons, Angel and Jesús, to see how…...
November 07, 2015
Debra Granik Goes Back to Missouri for Stray Dog
Craig Phillips in Behind the Films
Filmmaker Debra Granik helped bring actresses Vera Farmiga and Jennifer Lawrence much-deserved fame with her two acclaimed feature films Down to the Bone and Winter’s Bone, respectively. Winter’s Bone in particular,…...
October 28, 2015
Five Seriously Scary Documentaries for Halloween
Scott Weinberg in Lists
It's often said that truth is stranger than fiction, and while that may be accurate in some cases, it's also true that truth can be a lot scarier than fiction. As…...
October 24, 2015
Independent Lens and POV Are the Most Diverse Documentary Series on TV
Independent Lens in
Last week, the Center for Media & Social Impact released the results of its audit on diversity in commercial and public documentary television, and ranked Independent Lens and our sister series POV at the top.…...
October 21, 2015
Early Silent Documentaries: Real-Life Adventure Cinema
Sean Axmaker in Film History
This piece is part of an ongoing Independent Lens series exploring documentary film history. Stay tuned for more installments. Since the dawn of cinema, cameras have been taken around the world to…...
October 19, 2015
Immigration Battle: The High-Stakes World of Immigration Reform
Independent Lens in Announcements
Premiering on PBS Tuesday October 20 at 10pm [please check local listings] as a co-presentation of Independent Lens and FRONTLINE, the new documentary Immigration Battle plunges straight into the heart of one…...
September 30, 2015
Coming Fall 2015 to Independent Lens
Independent Lens in Announcements
Independent Lens returns this fall with a new season of documentaries that tell unforgettable stories of courage and resilience, explore the most pressing issues of our time, and take viewers…...
September 30, 2015
Independent Lens Wins Two News & Documentary Emmys
Craig Phillips in Awards
[wnet-cove id="2365572355"] Last night, the News & Documentary Emmy® Awards ceremony was held at Geffen Hall in New York City, and we were excited to learn that two Independent Lens films came…...