September 24, 2020
Comfort Viewing: What Filmmakers and Writers Are Watching to Get Through It
Craig Phillips in Lifestyle
What are YOU watching to provide comfort during these trying times? Filmmakers, artists, critics and writers chimed in with their personal favorite shows and films to watch when in dire…...
May 28, 2019
The 2018-19 Independent Lens Audience Award Goes to… (Updated)
Independent Lens in Awards
Update (6/11): With voting now closed, we’ve tabulated the winners, with a record number of votes for our Audience Award (topping last year's record). And the prize goes to… Out of State…...
December 18, 2018
Favorite Nonfiction Podcasts That Will Keep You Glued to Your Headphones
Independent Lens in Lifestyle
By Brooke Shelby Biggs We nonfiction nerds who are compulsive documentary watchers are usually also public radio listeners and magazine readers. Who among us doesn’t have a closet full of…...
February 14, 2017
10 Great Animated Documentaries
Noel Murray in Lists
Keith Maitland’s animated documentary TOWER has left critics and awards-voting bodies alike flummoxed as to how best to categorize it. This is a visionary work, no doubt, that uses voice-actors and…...
December 18, 2014
Best Documentaries of 2014: Scanning the Critics’ Lists
Craig Phillips in Lists
The critics have spoken. And they're saying... a lot of different things, but when it comes to picking the best documentary films of the year there is plenty of common…...
November 11, 2014
5 Independent Lens Films for Veteran’s Day
Craig Phillips in Lists
[caption id="attachment_6035" align="alignnone" width="640"] Veterans Bill Jones and Andy Petrus in front of the Japanese monument on Attu Island, Alaska, in Red White Black & Blue[/caption] In honor of our…...
June 10, 2014
LGBTQ Pride: Movies That Rocked Their World [Updated]
Craig Phillips in Film History
June is always LGBTQ Pride Month, and traditionally it's been both a time for reflection on gay history and struggles (originally created to commemorate the Stonewall riots of June 1969), along with…...
March 28, 2014
March Madness: Best Basketball Films
Craig Phillips in Lists
Looking back at the 2014 broadcast television premiere of Independent Lens' Medora, not to mention that we're in the midst of NCAA basketball “March Madness,” we have the sport of James Naismith…...
February 28, 2014
Some of Our Favorite Oscar-Nominated Documentaries
Craig Phillips in
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="594"] The Weather Underground[/caption] As it's Academy Award time again, where one feature documentary out of five worthy finalists is chosen as Best, it seemed fitting to…...
February 20, 2014
The Best of the Best Documentaries of 2013 Lists List
Craig Phillips in
[caption id="attachment_5364" align="alignnone" width="600"] 20 Feet From Stardom[/caption] It was a good year for documentaries. Maybe we say that every year, but 2013 felt particularly strong. How can anyone keep…...
January 30, 2014
Best Docs Streaming on Netflix List via Uproxx
Craig Phillips in
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="594"] Hell and Back Again[/caption] Thanks to Ryan Perry on Uproxx for compiling this list of the 25 Best Documentaries available to stream on Netflix, especially since…...
October 02, 2013
Best Music Documentaries on Independent Lens and Beyond
Craig Phillips in Lists
In honor of both Don’t Stop Believin’: Everyman's Journey [which, if you missed it, is available 'til the end of this week to watch for free online] and the joyful Muscle Shoals,…...