May 14, 2015
Nine Movies about American Radicals
Independent Lens in Lists
By Noel Murray There’s something deeply and inherently provocative in movies that tell stories about open rebellion against the United States government, because they force us to think harder about…...
May 07, 2015
Art on the Edge: Extreme Dance, Performance, and More
Craig Phillips in Lists
Elizabeth Streb was once called the "Evel Knievel of dance," and our documentary Born to Fly: Elizabeth Streb vs. Gravity captures her life as an "extreme action architect." Her choreography, which she calls…...
April 30, 2015
Hawaiian Music: More Than Just Hula (But Also Hula)
Craig Phillips in Lists
[caption id="attachment_6841" align="alignnone" width="600"] Hina performing with some of her students, from Kumu Hina[/caption] In tandem with the PBS film Kumu Hina, we created this Spotify playlist compiling some of the greatest…...
March 19, 2015
9 Movies about Family Secrets
Independent Lens in Lists
By Noel Murray When Lacey Schwartz applied to Georgetown at age 18, she left the “racial identity” box unchecked, but did submit a photograph, and not long after she was…...
March 05, 2015
Celebrate Women’s History Month with These Docs
Independent Lens in Lists
March is Women's History Month, and, like a lot of people, we feel like women should be honored and celebrated every day of the year, but the idea behind an…...
February 12, 2015
Black History Month: From the Independent Lens Archives
Craig Phillips in Lists
Our programming aims to celebrate black history more than just during the month February, but Black History Month is certainly a great time to pause and reflect on African American…...
January 19, 2015
Moral Dilemmas in 10 War Films
Craig Phillips in Lists
The central dilemma in Dan Krauss's Independent Lens documentary The Kill Team is grappled with by an American soldier in Afghanistan who found members of his platoon were committing immoral war crimes, and wanted…...
January 05, 2015
American Dreaming: Small Towns Through the Movies
Craig Phillips in Lists
Rich Hill is a new example of a realistic portrayal of a small American town, through the eyes of three young residents and their struggling families, but the fascination with (capital…...
December 18, 2014
Best Documentaries of 2014: Scanning the Critics’ Lists
Craig Phillips in Lists
The critics have spoken. And they're saying... a lot of different things, but when it comes to picking the best documentary films of the year there is plenty of common…...
November 11, 2014
5 Independent Lens Films for Veteran’s Day
Craig Phillips in Lists
In honor of our nation's veterans on Veteran's Day, we've compiled a list of a few Independent Lens films that centered around American soldiers. While the day was initially intended…...
June 10, 2014
LGBTQ Pride: Movies That Rocked Their World [Updated]
Craig Phillips in Film History
June is always LGBTQ Pride Month, and traditionally it's been both a time for reflection on gay history and struggles (originally created to commemorate the Stonewall riots of June 1969), along with…...
April 14, 2014
Bill Siegel’s 12 Documentaries That Had Biggest Impact on Him
Craig Phillips in Lists
Documentary filmmaker Bill Siegel, whose previous film (co-directed with Sam Green) The Weather Underground was nominated for an Oscar, returned to the world of American political activism and history with The…...