March 24, 2016
Magic in the Modern Age: Do You (Still) Believe in Magic?
Lisa Ko in Beyond the Films
Legendary stage magician and escapologist James “The Amazing” Randi broke out of 22 jails during his career, going so far as to break Harry Houdini’s record of time spent inside…...
February 23, 2016
African Americans Hit Hardest by HIV in the South
Lisa Ko in Beyond the Films
While HIV/AIDS is no longer a death sentence to the same extent it was 20 years ago, 50,000 Americans are diagnosed with HIV each year, and the disparities are startling…...
February 19, 2016
A Former FBI Agent Talks About Handling Informants
Craig Phillips in Beyond the Films
Since 2009, paid FBI informants have played a central role in nearly 50% of all domestic terrorism cases. Informants, who can earn up to $100,000 per case, are instructed to…...
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 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 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
From the Archive: Cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond Talks Motion Picture Making
Independent Lens in Beyond the Films
In memory of Vilmos Zsigmond, the legendary cinematographer who died New Years Day, we reached into the Independent Lens archive for an interview Mr. Zsigmond gave us in June 2010…...
November 21, 2015
The Cost of Love: Caring for Adults with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities
Craig Phillips in Beyond the Films
Did you know that November is National Family Caregiver Month? (Here are some suggested ways of thanking the caregivers in your life.) The care of aging adults is a problem we all…...
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…...
June 12, 2015
Bringing the Same-Sex Marriage Debate Full Circle
Craig Phillips in Beyond the Films
Tony Sullivan is no stranger to practicing the art of patience. He navigated through decades of legal fights with the U.S. government over both his own legal status as an…...
April 09, 2015
Homeless but Not Hopeless: Homeless Youth in America
Craig Phillips in Beyond the Films
Youth homelessness is on the rise in the United States, and the numbers aren't pretty. One in 30 kids (nearly 2.5 million children) of K-12 school age are now homeless in the…...