Independent Lens . Your Lens

Independent Lens is pleased to present Community Voices, featuring original short video content developed by public television and community partners of the Vote Democracy! national civic engagement campaign. Emerging and first-time filmmakers provide new perspectives on democracy in America today.

Watch and be inspired by these new voices.

A closeup of Young Black Voter filmmaker Lavel White and First Lady Michelle Obama; both are smiling

KET Making Connections Louisville

YOUNG BLACK VOTER (7:04)

From hitting licks to casting ballots…one man’s story

YOUNG BLACK VOTER traces the personal journey of aspiring Kentucky filmmaker Lavel White from a disengaged youth—who occasionally committed petty crimes—to a hopeful young adult, actively involved in the political process and community issues.

A production of KET and Making Connections Louisville, made possible with support from the ITVS Vote Democracy! public television station grant initiative.
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GenerationEngage

Empowering young leaders as engaged citizens

ITVS and GenerationEngage partner with emerging filmmakers to tell the stories of young leaders changing their communities outside the voting booth and beyond Election Day. Join us to get a glimpse of the contributions these community leaders and organizers are making in San Jose, California; Charlotte, South Carolina and Miami, Florida.

A man in a white shirt and maroon apron arranges papayas on a stand in an outdoor market

SAVING THE FLEA (4:47)
Three people set out to save the San Jose Flea Market—the largest and one of the oldest open-air markets in the U.S.
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FEMI (5:19)
After working for months to produce an event to bring awareness to local elections, Femi learns of a surprise Obama rally being held the same day.
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THE GREEN SPIRIT (3:16)
Follow Binsen Gonzalez around downtown Miami as he shares his thoughts on the environment, his community and his hopes for a greener city.
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Looking For Democracy

The 2008 presidential election dominated the media, but democracy is defined by more than just electoral politics. The Public Square, the Independent Television Service, Independent Lens, Kartemquin Films, Independent Feature Project (IFP) Chicago, Chicago Access Network Television (CAN TV) and the Columbia College Television Department presented the Looking for Democracy Short Film Contest, encouraging filmmakers to unleash their radical imaginations and find democracy in creative and unusual places.

Where did local filmmakers find democracy in Chicago? View some of the winning projects below.

A young man in a suit and tie with headphones on looks down in concentration

HOPE IN AMERICA (4:56)
Brandon and Chris traveled to the Democratic National Convention to ask, “What are the grounds for hope in America?”
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A close-up of a young man in a flat cap and glasses looks exuberantly into
the camera with a big open-mouthed smile

BELLEVILLE NIGHTS (5:00)
See democracy in action through the struggles of an independent recording studio working with local leaders.
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A man walks with his head down, carrying yellow filled plastic bags, with a
concrete wall in the background that has a peace sign and the word war spray
painted on it

TWENTY REASONS (5:10)
Originally a PowerPoint performance, TWENTY REASONS addresses the contemporary phenomenon of political depression in list form.
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A boy of about five years old smiles into the camera

GROUP (5:00)
As practiced at the Children’s School in Chicago, a group is an effective tool for creating democracy.
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