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…...
March 05, 2022
Remember These Classic PBS Educational TV Shows?
Independent Lens in Lifestyle
[Carmen Sandiego image courtesy producer Howard Blumenthal] By Ade D. Adeniji Sesame Street. Magic School Bus. Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. Reading Rainbow. Millennials and Gen Xers were lucky enough to come…...
November 09, 2021
Aloe Blacc Goes to the “Other Side” for Ferguson Rises
Independent Lens in Watch Video
Aloe Blacc's inspiring anthem, "Other Side," is the featured song in the PBS documentary Ferguson Rises. The tragic killing of teenager Michael Brown Jr. by Ferguson, Missouri, police launched the…...
![On the set of SOUL! with Ellis Haizlip interviewing Melvin Van Peebles [Credit: Chester Higgins]](https://staging.pbs.org/independentlens/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/MR_SOUL_stanlathan_ellishaizlip_Melvin-Van-Peebles-650x650-c-default.jpg)
February 09, 2021
How SOUL! Helped Pave the Way for Black Cultural Programming
Independent Lens in Beyond the Films
By Ade D. Adeniji Mr. SOUL! explores America’s first Black variety television show SOUL!, which ran from 1968 to 1973, and was steered by pioneering Black producer and host Ellis…...
May 09, 2019
Motherhood: The Universal Story, in Films
Sharon Knolle in Lists
Motherhood is universal – none of us would be here without our moms. For some, that relationship is loving and supportive; for others, it's fraught with complications. Especially if Mom…...
March 25, 2019
How to Pronounce (and Not Pronounce) “Tre Maison Dasan”
Independent Lens in Beyond the Films
One of the three "stars" of the documentary Tre Maison Dasan, Maison is a funny, charming, hyper-articulate 11-year-old whose Autism Spectrum Disorder presents itself through his ever-active mind and deep love for…...
June 11, 2018
Kick It with the 9 Most Unforgettable Soccer Commercials
Craig Phillips in Lists
As far as I'm concerned, soccer is a year-round sport. I can find a footie game on the telly from somewhere in the world anytime I want, but the World…...
April 11, 2018
Pollution (and Other Environmental) Public Service Announcements: A Look Back
Jennie Z. Rose in Beyond the Films
In conjunction with the Independent Lens film What Lies Upstream, which is an exposé about what led to a major source of water becoming poisoned after a disastrous chemical spill…...
April 04, 2018
Watch The Seven-Part Series “Sentencing Children”:
Independent Lens in Watch Video
Watch our seven-part, Webby Award-nominated series on juvenile sentencing laws, "Sentencing Children." "Sentencing Children" was produced by Dan Birman and Independent Lens. This series is part of Independent Lens‘s commitment to…...
March 23, 2015
I Identify: What Forces Determine Your Identity?
Independent Lens in Beyond the Films
In Little White Lie, filmmaker Lacey Schwartz uncovers an identity-altering family secret, and then embarks on a journey of discovery as she contends with her new sense of self. The film challenges us…...