February 23, 2023
6 Documentaries About the Black Experience
Independent Lens in Independent Film
Add these Independent Lens docs to your must-watch list. The Big Payback Directed by Erika Alexander and Whitney Dow Outta The Muck Directed by Ira McKinley and Bhawin Suchak The Picture…...
October 10, 2022
Wild & Disturbing: 10 Hazing Scenes in Movies and TV
Independent Lens in Beyond the Films
By Ade D. Adeniji The documentary Hazing begs the question: How far will people go just to fit in? Our need to haze and be hazed has been explored in…...
November 03, 2021
Feisty Community Newspapers That Are Surviving or Thriving Against the Odds
Independent Lens in Beyond the Films
By Julie Reynolds Martinez The Storm Lake Times, as featured in the documentary Storm Lake, isn’t the only small, independent newspaper to hang on in the age of news deserts.…...
September 17, 2021
Road Trippin’, Part II: These Documentaries Will Show You All 50 States
Craig Phillips in Lists
[related-link link="https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/blog/road-trippin-part-1-documentaries-for-every-state/" link_title="Read Part I: Road Trippin' here >>"] [pictured at left, in the side mirror: a scene from Tacos of Texas (Brownsville)] We continue our epic journey across America…...
September 17, 2021
Road Trippin’ Part I: These Documentaries Will Show You All 50 States
Craig Phillips in Lists
Rev up your virtual station wagon and pack your bags for a road trip across America through documentary film. No documentary or double feature will capture an entire state's essence,…...
August 03, 2021
Claressa Shields’ Workout Playlist
Craig Phillips in Lists
Check it out. Claressa "T-Rex" Shields, Olympic champ and star of the documentary T-Rex: Her Fight for Gold, sent us the tunes she pops into her iPod whenever she has to…...
September 24, 2020
Comfort Viewing: What Filmmakers and Writers Are Watching to Get Through It
Craig Phillips in Lifestyle
What are YOU watching to provide comfort during these trying times? Filmmakers, artists, critics and writers chimed in with their personal favorite shows and films to watch when in dire…...
September 09, 2020
Honor Hispanic Heritage Month with Eight Unique Documentaries
Independent Lens in Lists
By Lola Méndez Hispanic Heritage Month has been honored annually in the United States since 1968 when President Lyndon Johnson first launched it as Hispanic Heritage Week. In 1988, President…...
July 10, 2020
“Your Vote Is Your Voice”: Best Films About Voting Rights
Sharon Knolle in Film History
The right to vote is one of the most fundamental rights in a Democracy, and yet who has been allowed to vote in America has been a battle that’s been…...
April 29, 2020
Podcasts Persevere During the Pandemic
Independent Lens in Interviews
By Sonia Weiser If it weren’t for podcasts, I’d never know what day it was. So I’m grateful that even during the COVID-19 pandemic, shows are sticking to their regimented…...
December 20, 2019
New Year’s Resolutions and Goals from the Independent Lens Film Family
Independent Lens in Lifestyle
What are your own resolutions for the New Year? Or your personal hopes, dreams, and goals? We reached out to some members of the Independent Lens family -- the directors…...
December 10, 2019
9 Lights for Hanukkah: Finding Light in Dark Times
Sharon Knolle in Lifestyle
This Hanukkah, as millions light their menorahs and rededicate themselves to their family, their faith and their communities, we look for ways to find and share joy, light, healing, and…...