Independent Lens . Inside Indies

A brilliant film poster for "Om Shanti Om" depicting 2 gold clad dancers waving their arms beneath an arc of light

From This is Spinal Tap to Blue Velvet, Cinema Paradiso to The Thin Blue Line, filmmakers are film aficionados, and their favorites are many. Each season we ask Independent Lens directors and producers to choose their three favorite films of all time.

Check out the latest batch—from film classics and mega-hits to obscure cult favorites, they’re sure to expand your horizons. Did your favorites make the list? Find out and submit your own.

Explore Filmmakers’ Favorite Films >>

Animation, drama, documentary and poetry in motion—shorts that pack a punch! Immerse yourself in an eclectic mix of stories and storytelling with this year’s batch of Independent Lens Online Shorts winners.

Check out the festival winners and view the shorts online >>

“I actually saw the glow of an atomic explosion when I was about eight years old…. It really made an impression on my little mind. We carry these things around forever, and we spend our lives making movies about stuff that clutters up our childhood memories.”

—Jon Else, WONDERS ARE MANY: The Making of Doctor Atomic

How do doc makers tell personal stories without being too intrusive? Read about the relationship between a young Native American filmmaker and her film subject; find out what it’s like to interview legendary journalists and discover how a sensitive approach led to compelling stories from the elderly.

Read Inside Filmmaking >>

Art house movie theaters are the lifeblood of cinemaphiles in cities everywhere. With tough economic times, home entertainment centers, digital downloads and the shifting indie film marketplace, can art house theaters survive?

Read Art House Theaters: Where Film Lovers Go Local >>

What are your three favorite films? Yes… just three.
Take the challenge and share the wealth in Talkback >>

When it comes to filmmaking, what does independent mean to you?
Tell us what you think >>

Can’t get enough independent cinema? From film fan and filmmaker to fund-seeker and trivia buff, there’s something for everyone in Indie Resources.
Get informed >>

Inside Indies celebrates the creative freedom, artistic achievements and unflinching visions of independent producers who make films that change the way we see our lives and our world.


	We've done the research and picked the critics' faves. Check out some recently released independent films on DVD to watch in the comfort of your home. Trouble the Water Documentary directed by Carl Deal, Tia Lessin Trumbo Documentary directed by Peter Askin Featuring Joan Allen, Brian Dennehy, Paul Giamatti… Sugar Drama directed by Ryan Fleck, Anna Boden, Mariela Comitini Starring Algenis Perez Soto, Rayniel Rufino, Andre Holland… Adventureland Comedy directed by Greg Mottola Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Martin Starr… Find these films to rent online >>

What is independent?
“A film or program is independent if more than fifty percent of its financing comes from sources other than the seven major U.S. studios.”
Source: The Independent Film & Television Alliance

What makes a film independent?
Tell us what you think >>