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…...
May 13, 2016
Seven Years Filming the Homeless of Oakland
Craig Phillips in Behind the Films
The filmmaking team of Amir Soltani and Chihiro Wimbush both come from incredibly varied backgrounds, and bring an abundance of talents and interests to the table for the first feature…...
May 09, 2016
Abigail Disney Wields the Power of Dialogue with The Armor of Light
Craig Phillips in Behind the Films
Abigail Disney (her grandfather was Roy O. Disney, Walt's brother and co-founder of the Walt Disney Company, just to get that out of the way) has long been a producer…...
May 06, 2016
Scott Christopherson and Brad Barber Capture a Man on a Mission
Craig Phillips in Behind the Films
Utah-based filmmakers Scott Christopherson and Brad Barber found a supremely compelling story right in their own backyard for their film Peace Officer. The film is several things at once: a personal…...
April 28, 2016
Human Rights Lawyer Philippe Sands Confronts Children of Nazis with Painful Past
Craig Phillips in Behind the Films
While some might call Philippe Sands the on-screen host of My Nazi Legacy, the new film by David Evans that is based on Sands' new book, he's actually the probing,…...
March 31, 2016
“Leith” Filmmakers Michael Beach Nichols and Christopher K. Walker Capture a Town in a Powderkeg
Craig Phillips in Behind the Films
Michael Beach Nichols and Christopher K. Walker have produced eye-popping, gritty fare before, including an acclaimed film about street dancing, Flex Is Kings, and the HBO film Hard Times: Lost in Long Island…...
March 04, 2016
Documentaries for Movie Geeks: Films About Films
Scott Weinberg in Behind the Films
Once you've watched a beloved movie two or three times, you start to crave a little more information about the film's conception, production, and cultural impact, among other things. So…...
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…...
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…...
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,…...
May 09, 2014
Jason Osder Explores an American Tragedy in Let the Fire Burn
Craig Phillips in Behind the Films
Let the Fire Burn, which won Best Editing in a Documentary Feature and nabbed Jason Osder Best New Documentary Director at the Tribeca Film Festival, manages to tell the supremely tense and tragic story of the…...
April 07, 2014
Meet the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble
Craig Phillips in Behind the Films
Enjoy this collection of additional videos and links to check out more from the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, who are the center of Reuben Atlas's new Independent Lens documentary Brothers Hypnotic,…...