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January 19, 2015

Moral Dilemmas in 10 War Films

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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 12, 2015

Darius Clark Monroe’s Evolution from Criminal to Filmmaker

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[caption id="attachment_6221" align="alignnone" width="600"] Filmmaker Darius Clark Monroe[/caption] Darius Clark Monroe's own evolution from loving son, to incarcerated criminal, and then back to student and filmmaker, is quite a journey.…...

Evolution of a Criminal

Filmmaker Darius Clark Monroe explores what led him to become a bank robber as a teenager in Texas, through interviews with family, friends, and mentors involved in his story as well as by returning to the scene of the crime. Read More

Decaying buildings face an empty street in small town Rich Hill
Lists

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 06, 2014

And the winner of IDA Award for Best Curated Series goes to…

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At Friday night’s 30th annual IDA Documentary Awards, given out every year by the International Documentary Association to recognize and honor outstanding documentary films and filmmakers, Independent Lens was given…...

Twin Sisters Mia and Alexandra in a museum with giant wind-up teeth.
Where Are They Now?

October 20, 2014

Update on Twin Sisters Mia and Alexandra from the California Mom

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We have an exclusive update on the two twin girls featured in Twin Sisters (the film by Mona Friis Bertheussen premieres on PBS tonight, Monday, October 20, at 10 pm;…...

Twin Sisters

Two sisters adopted in China as infants by Californian and Norwegian parents grow up knowing they have a twin living on the other side of the world. Although language is a barrier, their bond grows deeper and they arrange to finally meet. Read More

Headshot of Twin Sisters Director/Producer Mona Friis Bertheussen.

October 17, 2014

Twin Sisters Filmmaker Captures Sibling Bond

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Twin Sisters tells the story of the remarkable journey of identical twins, adopted by families from opposite ends of the world who discover their daughters are sisters. The film won the prestigious…...

Leveled Philadelphia row houses after the MOVE bombings
Behind the Films

July 11, 2014

From RealScreen: Archive Masterclass on the Making of the Film

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Super piece by Adam Benzine on Let the Fire Burn's extensive, exhaustive archival process, with insight from filmmaker Jason Osder: "Archive masterclass: Making Let the Fire Burn'."  The film had…...

July 07, 2014

PBS Online Film Festival (Including Independent Lens Shorts)

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WATCH. VOTE. SHARE. For the third year running, the PBS Online Film Festival is happening as we speak. Two excellent short films are representing Independent Lens as part of the line-up: Tryouts,…...

June 30, 2014

The Winner of 2013-2014 Independent Lens Audience Award Is…

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The votes are in and Independent Lens viewers have spoken! Don’t Stop Believin’: Everyman’s Journey is the winner of the Independent Lens 2013-2014 Audience Award. Congratulations to filmmaker Ramona S. Diaz and…...

The New Black

Centering on the historic fight to win marriage equality in Maryland, this documentary takes viewers into the pews, the streets, and kitchen tables to look at how the African American community grapples with the gay rights issue. Read More