Blog

December, 9, 2008

Doc

Independent Lens

Renaissance man and crazy genius, Harold Louis “Doc” Humes was an acclaimed novelist and the originator of The Paris Review, which became perhaps the greatest American literary institution ever. Now almost entirely forgotten, Doc’s was a life crammed full of…
November, 6, 2008

Knee Deep

Independent Lens

Follow the true crime story of Josh Osborne, a sheltered Maine farm boy who attempts to save the family farm by plotting to kill his mother, in this satiric study of rural American values wrapped in an attempted murder mystery.
June, 10, 2008

The Cool School

Independent Lens

How do you build an art scene from scratch — and not lose your soul in the process? The Cool School is the story of the Ferus Gallery, which nurtured Los Angeles’s first significant post-war artists between 1957 and 1966.…
Men in grass skirts perform a traditional hula dance.
May, 6, 2008

Na Kamalei: The Men of Hula

Independent Lens

Follow the journey of legendary teacher Robert Cazimero and the only all-male hula school in Hawaii as they celebrate their 30th anniversary and prepare to compete at the world’s largest hula festival.
Jock Soto
April, 8, 2008

Water Flowing Together

Independent Lens

Water Flowing Together is an intimate portrait of an important American artist, New York City Ballet’s Jock Soto, one of the most influential modern ballet dancers. Soto graced the stage of the New York State Theater for 24 years, partnering…
April, 1, 2008

Companeras

Independent Lens

Compañeras is an intimate profile of America’s first all-female mariachi band: Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles. Since 1994, this 12-member group has been taking on a male-dominated musical tradition and building the popularity of mariachi music. Alternating between heart-stirring performances…
November, 13, 2007

Miss Navajo

Independent Lens

Following pageant contestants in their quest for the Miss Navajo Nation crown, and featuring personal stories of recent winners, Miss Navajo is a unique celebration of womanhood.
October, 16, 2007

Wordplay

Independent Lens

Known to millions of crossword die-hards as National Public Radio’s Puzzle Master, New York Times puzzle editor Will Shortz has built a career on studying, creating, and editing puzzles. Wordplay puts the spotlight on this crossword hero and introduces many…
La Lupe
June, 5, 2007

La Lupe Queen of Latin Soul

Independent Lens

A rebel and innovator, pop singer Lupe Yoli, otherwise known as La Lupe or La Yiyiyi, was renowned for her emotional performance style. Her renditions of classics such as “My Way,” “Fever” and “Going Out of My Head” were famous…
Jimmy Mirikitani
May, 8, 2007

The Cats of Mirikitani

Independent Lens

“Make art not war” is Jimmy Mirikitani’s motto. This 80-year-old Japanese American artist was born in Sacramento and raised in Hiroshima, but by 2001 he is living on the streets of New York with the twin towers of the World…
Vermeer's The Concert
March, 20, 2007

Stolen

Independent Lens

It was the most expensive art heist in American history. In March 1990, two thieves disguised as Boston police officers gained entrance to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and successfully plundered $500 million worth of art. Among the 13 priceless…
A man stands in front of a graffiti wall
February, 20, 2007

Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes

Independent Lens

Take an in-depth look at masculinity in rap music and hip-hop culture — where creative genius, poetic beauty, and mad beats collide with misogyny, violence, and homophobia through interviews with aspiring rappers and fans at hip-hop events throughout the country.