Johnny Symons, director of the films Ask Not (Independent Lens, 2009) and Daddy & Papa (Independent Lens, 2002), was invited to attend the ceremony for President Obama’s signing of the repeal of the Pentagon’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy, which forced gay military personnel to serve in secrecy or be discharged. Emotional as he left … READ MORE

Kenneth Turan, the Los Angeles Times film critic, devoted his year-end column to documentary films, which he says enjoyed “remarkable resurgence” in 2010: “It’s also hardly a secret that the major studios have, with periodic exceptions, all but given up on making films with the adult audience specifically in mind. So where are moviegoers going … READ MORE

UPDATE: Did you watch part one of the series last night? You can still catch the last episode of the special series The Calling on PBS tonight at 9 PM. But first, here’s your chance to participate in a live chat with the director of the series, Danny Alpert. The chat will commence at 2pm … READ MORE

The Calling is a two-night, four-hour special event on PBS Monday, December 20 and Tuesday, December 21 at 9 PM (check local listings). We sat down with Director Danny Alpert to talk about the intense and long process of creating the film, and what made him tackle such a nuanced and sometimes touchy subject. Join … READ MORE

In anticipation of tonight’s premiere of 45365 (check local listings), we held a social media contest asking our viewers why their zip code was particularly interesting or notable. We took our favorite 10 entries and put them to a popular vote. Our winner was the only one to submit her entry in poem form: Linda … READ MORE

Our lovely and talented host America Ferrera invites you to join us on Facebook, where we offer exclusive events and content not always available on our website. We have some of the liveliest discussions about our films and the issues they raise on our Facebook page, and we’d like you to come be a part … READ MORE

Bill and Turner Ross have been hailed as up-and-coming auteurs for the fly-on-the-wall vérité style with which they made their debut film, 45365, which premieres on Independent Lens on Tuesday, December 14 (check local listings). The film, which Roger Ebert called “achingly beautiful,” won the 2009 SXSW Grand Jury Award for Best Documentary Feature. They … READ MORE

You definitely came through with the hometown pride for our zip code contest. We’re getting pretty excited about the broadcast premiere of 45365 on December 14 (check local listings) — after all, Roger Ebert called it an “achingly beautiful film” and it has been hailed on the festival circuit for its novel and novelistic approach. … READ MORE

Wow, what a weekend. The International Documentary Awards bestowed high honors on several films that will make their broadcast premiere on Independent Lens in coming months. We want to extend our heartfelt congratulations to the filmmakers and give you our viewers a look at the trailers for these exceptional films. The winners, announced last week … READ MORE

Ever watched a film and then chatted with the people in it in real time without ever leaving your sofa? Well, you’re about to. We’re pulling out the stops for a special film coming up: The Calling by Danny Alpert. The two-part series airs on back-to-back nights December 20 and 21 at a special time … READ MORE

In anticipation of the upcoming premiere of the film 45365 (Independent Lens, December 14 at 9 PM – check local listings), we’re launching a social media contest for you, our faithful fans. The rules are simple: • Leave your entry in a comment below, on our Facebook page, or in a Twitter message (if you … READ MORE