Podcasts about Independent Lens

Marcia Franklin talks with Idaho filmmakers Heather Rae and Russell Friedenberg. The two produced and wrote “Trudell,” a documentary about Native American poet and activist John Trudell. The documentary aired on Idaho Public Television as part of the “Independent Lens” series. Rae and Friedenberg discuss their film, which premiered at Sundance and has been screened around the world. They also talk about their upcoming works, the state of documentary filmmaking, and their plans to buy a building in Boise that will be a filmmaking center. Originally aired: 06/22/2006

We preview an Independent Lens documentary airing tomorrow night titled "Free For All," which chronicles the history of public libraries in the United States and highlights some of the people who have figured most prominently in that history. The film also celebrates the many ways in which public libraries have been called upon to transform themselves in the 21st century and broaden what it means to be a public library.

Ahead of the premiere of the Independent Lens film "We Want the Funk," we bring you the soundtrack of the state. Hear folk, jazz and funk over this hour.

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 07:00:00 +0000 https://efm-industry-insights.podigee.io/66-reinventing-reality-independent-documentaries-in-times-of-change eec2f5357719b6f2cac8dbcf0ce4fe87 Industry Insights – The EFM Podcast is presented by the European Film Market of the Berlinale. Hosted by editor and producer Matt Carey, it delves deep into the rapidly evolving film industry. In this episode, two outstanding figures in the documentary filmmaking world share their perspectives on the current state of the non-fiction film industry. Kazuhiro Sōda, director and jury member of the Berlinale Documentary Award 2025, offers insights into his own filmmaking process and presents his ten commandments for independent documentary filmmaking. He reflects on how to achieve creative freedom, the distribution challenges documentary filmmakers face, and the crucial role of film festivals, especially as theatrical distribution of non-fiction films declines. Sōda explains how he lets his projects come to him, without needing to prove a theme to anyone but himself, revealing his observational filmmaking style—evident in his signature inclusion of cats. Lois Vossen, founding executive producer of Independent Lens on PBS, discusses how documentary filmmakers are finding innovative ways to distribute their films during this transitional period for the industry. Independent filmmakers with limited resources are creating works of international significance, strengthening the global documentary scene. She explains how Independent Lens selects projects and stories that need to be seen by American audiences, aiming to bridge divides by helping people see one another as they truly are. Both guests also provide a preview of the upcoming non-fiction films at this year's Berlinale, promising a diverse and important range of perspectives on the rapidly changing world around us. From February 14 to February 18, the EFM DocSalon will serve as an exclusive meeting point for the documentary industry, where all documentary activities, ranging from talks, networking, consultations and roundtables, will take place within the EFM Industry Sessions conference and networking programme. This all happens in the Café Connect in the Documentation Centre for Displacement, Expulsion, Reconciliation, just a three-minute walk from Gropius Bau. The Main Partner of the DocSalon ist FilmFernsehFonds Bayern, and Deadline is the Media Partner. Born in Ashikaga, Japan, in 1970, Kazuhiro Soda studied directing at the School of Visual Arts in New York. From Campaign (2007) and Mental (2009) to Inland Sea (2018) and Zero (2020) and most recently The Cats of Gokogu Shrine (2024), a large number of his eleven documentaries to date have been shown at the Berlinale. In addition to the Ecumenical Jury Prize in the Forum for Zero, he has already been honoured with the Peabody Award, the Marek Nowicki Award from the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights and prizes at the festivals in Busan and Hong Kong. His book 'Why I Make Documentaries' has been published in Japan, as well as in English, Korean and Chinese. He is a part of the Jury for the Berlinale Documentary Award 2025. Lois Vossen has been the founding executive producer of Independent Lens on PBS since 2002. She leads the programming of a diverse slate of 25-30 original documentaries, made by independent filmmakers, with each season covering an array of social, political, and cultural issues, showcasing Independent Lens as an evolving multiplatform series. The Host Matthew Carey serves as Documentary Editor at Deadline.com, covering the landscape of nonfiction film. He produces and co-hosts Deadline's weekly Doc Talk podcast. Carey is the former Senior Producer at CNN, where he wrote and produced documentary specials. He earned two Peabody Awards and a DuPont-Columbia Award for his contributions to CNN's coverage of politics and breaking news. He is based in Los Angeles. This podcast episode has been developed in collaboration with Deadline. The Berlinale's European Film Market is the first international film market of the year, where the film industry starts its business. Industry Insights - The EFM Podcast puts a spotlight on highly topical and trendsetting industry issues, thereby creating a compass for the forthcoming film year. The year-round podcast is produced in cooperation with Goethe-Institut and co-funded by Creative Europe MEDIA. full no Film Business,European Film Market,EFM,Entertainment Industry,Film Industry,Media Industry,Berlinale,Documentary,Documentary Films,Distribution European Film Market

Kevin Patrick Allen and Eric Frith sit down with me to talk about their fatherhood journey. We talk about how their kids teach them life lessons. In addition, the share the values they look to instill into their kids. After that we talk about their documentary, Beneath the Shadow. They share their filming and writing process. We also talk about how this film encapsulates family, love and strength. Lastly, we finish the interview with the Fatherhood Quick Five.  About Kevin Patrick Allen Kevin Patrick Allen is a veteran journalist turned documentary filmmaker. He's been recognized for his research, his eye for identifying the unique qualities in characters and stories and his prioritization of critical thinking and empathy. His films have influenced federal legislation, earned praise from mental health professionals and encouraged resilience-building in communities large and small. He's earned honors coast to coast from organizations including the California Associated Press Radio-Television Association, NorCal RTNDA, the New York International News Festival and the Chesapeake AP Broadcasters Association.  About Eric Frith Working in both non-fiction and fiction, Eric Frith's Emmy Award storytelling has appeared everywhere. Hid work is on Netflix, Amazon Prime and Apple TV. It has been distributed by Miramax and heralded as "an Oscar level piece of work" by film critics Ebert and Roeper. Other distribution includes: Sundance Now, PBS American Masters, Syfy, Gravitas, Travel Channel, Discovery+, Dream Entertainment, Independent Lens, Cinema Management Group, PBS AfroPop, Off the Fence, Liberation Entertainment, Quiver and NHK Japan. His films have screened at top festivals: Sundance, Toronto, SXSW, Tribeca, SIFF and literally hundreds of others around the world.  About Beneath the Shadow  Jim Tyrer is known in football circles as the greatest player not in the Professional Football Hall of Fame. He's also known as the man who inexplicably killed his wife and himself. For Tina, Brad, Stef and Jason, he's remembered simply as “Dad”—even though he left them orphans with a tarnished legacy when he murdered their mom before killing himself. Beneath the Shadow follows the children from their idyllic early lives to the night of the crime. In addition, you see decades into the future as they refused to succumb to despair and anger. That is because of the grandparents (parents to Martha). They raised them to forgive and move forward—with or without answers. Grandpa and Grandma Cline moved into the room where the murder/suicide took place. They raised the children and refused to disparage their son-in-law, Jim. The children excelled. Still, any understanding of the tragedy would elude them for decades. Make sure you follow Kevin on Instagram over at @kevpatrickallen. Go to the kppllc.net to learn more about Beneath the Shadow. Make sure you go to Eric's website at ericfrith.com.  BetterHelp Is This Week's Sponsor  BetterHelp was founded in 2013 to remove the traditional barriers to therapy and make mental health care more accessible to everyone. Today, it is the world's largest therapy service — providing professional, affordable, and personalized therapy in a convenient online format. BetterHelp's network of more than 30,000 licensed therapists has helped over 5 million people worldwide take ownership of their mental health and work towards their personal goals. As the unmet need for mental health services continues to grow, BetterHelp is committed to expanding access to therapy globally. Plus for my readers and podcast listeners when you use the special link at betterhelp.com/artoffatherhood you can get 10% off your first month.  About The Art of Fatherhood Podcast  The Art of Fatherhood Podcast follows the journey of fatherhood. Your host, Art Eddy talks with fantastic dads from all around the world where they share their thoughts on fatherhood.

From 2012- Chris Paine talks about his documentary film "Revenge of the Electric Car," which examines the work of several different trailblazers .... including Elon Musk .... toiling tirelessly to bring electric cars into the mainstream. The interview was done just as the film was about to air on the PBS series Independent Lens. The film can now be viewed on YouTube.

Send us a text"The Power of Storytelling: Himal Trivedi on 'Yatra'" features Hemal Trivedi, a talented filmmaker, as she delves into her poignant short documentary "Yatra" (Journey).  Hemal Trivedi has been editing and directing documentaries for 20 years. Her body of work has won one Oscar, three Emmys, one Peabody and seven Emmy nominations, a nomination for MTV Movie Awards, nominations for Independent Spirits Awards and Cinema Eye Award. Netflix, HBO, PBS (Frontline and Independent Lens), YouTube Red, Showtime, BBC, Topic and Channel 4 havebroadcasted her work. She is a member of Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Television Academy. She was recently selected as a participant in the “Television Academy's Peer Circle Program", a small group of 12 Emmy winning filmmakers who meet monthly to grow their skills professionally. Ms. Trivedi's key credits are: Philly DA, Battleground, Watergate, This is Everything: GigiGorgeous, Among the Believers, Inshallah Democracy, Outlawed in Pakistan, Saving Face, and When the Drum is Beating.#audienceengagement #visualstorytelling #filmmakingessentials #filmcourage #storytellingtipsforleaders http://twitter.com/dreamingkingdomhttp://instagram.com/kingdomofdreamspodcasthttp://facebook.com/kingdomofdreamspodcast Watch the feature films that I have directedCitizen of Moria - https://rb.gy/azpsuIn Search of My Sister - https://rb.gy/1ke21Official Website - www.jawadmir.com

A new Independent Lens documentary explains the Electoral College's complexities while following four presidential electors representing different parties in Colorado during the intense 2020 election. The film is called "One Person, One Vote?" Director Maximina Juson and former Colorado State Senator Polly Baca, who participated in the film, join us to discuss.

GUEST:  Film director/producer Maximina Juson There is a groundbreaking new documentary film that provides a thorough examination of the American Electoral College and its influence on presidential elections in the United States. Titled “One Person, One Vote,” this documentary has received multiple awards at various prestigious film festivals across the country. The director and producer of the film, Maximina Juson, is my guest today. “One Person, One Vote” recently premiered on PBS' Independent Lens and will be available for viewing on the PBS app for the next 90 days. Additionally, viewers can watch the full film on YouTube. (www.onepersononevote.co)

After Repeated Humiliations, Will Iran Strike Back at Israel in a Wider Middle East War? | J.D. Vance Doubles Down in His Embrace of Christian Nationalism and "Christo-Fascism | The Filmmaker of the Feature Documentary on the Electoral College One Person, One Vote Which Premieres on PBS's Independent Lens on Monday backgroundbriefing.org/donate twitter.com/ianmastersmedia facebook.com/ianmastersmedia

Daryl Davis a black blues musician will be speaking and performing at the Pennsylvania College of Art & Design in Lancaster Oct 4 at 3:30 p.m. Davis is currently the subject of an Independent Lens documentary. Davis says he was inspired musically by Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry. “I thought, my goodness, that's what I want to do. And what, you know, really inspired me about them was the fact that these two gentlemen and their contemporaries had made millions upon millions of people all over the world happy with their music. They had touched them.” Davis graduated from Howard University with a degree in jazz performance. He's played a lot of rock n' roll, country blues, boogie woogie, jazz, and big band swing. Davis performed with the late Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, and many other artists.  He believes music is a powerful uniting force. Davis is also the author of Klan-destine Relationships:  A Black Man's Odyssey where he speaks about the power of conversation to ignite positive change, understanding hate groups in America, and how music broke down racial barriers in the 1950's and 1980's. After the performance, a guy came up to Davis praising his performance. The man told Davis he was a member of the Klu Klux Klan. That interaction posed a question for Davis. A question that has been haunting hum since he was 10 years old. “How can you hate me? You don't even know me. It fell right into your lap, and you didn't even realize it. Because who is the best person to ask? Who better to ask that question of than someone who would go so far as to join an organization that has over a 100-year history of practicing hating people who don't look like that or who don't believe as they believe? Get back in contact with that Klansman and ask him to set you up with the Klan leader for the state of Maryland. To a state leader is known as a grand dragon. It's what you and I would call a governor who heads of state, a national leader. You and I would call a president. They call it the Imperial wizard. So, I you know, I've told him myself, you know, get back in contact with that guy. Get him to set you up with the Grand Dragon interview. The Grand Dragon. Go up north. Go down south. Go to the Midwest. Go to the West. Interview other grand dragons, imperial wizards and other members. And write a book about it. Because all the books written on the Klan have been written by white people, you know, who had more access, they could sit down and interview Klan people. No black person had done that. So, I decided I would write the first book as a black author from the perspective of sitting down face to face with Klan leaders and members and interviewing them. And that's how I started.” As Davis continued to ask that question by speaking with KKK members, some became his friends, left the Klan, and gave him their robes and hoods. “And today, I own a ton of Klan robes and Klan hoods that have been given to me by active KKK leaders and members because they no longer believe in what those things stand for. As a result of these conversations.”    Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amy Nicholson is a New York-based filmmaker and commercial director whose projects often explore the essence of Americana with a humorous eye and a warm respect for her subjects. Nicholson's most recent documentary, a short titled Pickle, won multiple audience awards, was selected for The New York Times' Op-Docs, and was featured on the Criterion Collection alongside Errol Morris' Gates of Heaven. Pickle was also nominated for an IDA Award and Cinema Eye Honors. Nicholson has produced and directed several features. Zipper: Coney Island's Last Wild Ride won the Special Jury Prize at DOCNYC and was held over twice at the IFC Center. Muskrat Lovely premiered at the Hamptons International Film Festival and was broadcast on Independent Lens. Nicholson's films have screened at Hot Docs, Sheffield, Full Frame, DOK Leipzig, BFI London, Camden, Traverse City, Rooftop Films, and the MoMA. They have been reviewed by Variety, Indiewire, The Hollywood Reporter, The Wall Street Journal, and The New York Times.   HAPPY CAMPERS chronicles the final days of a working-class summer colony in a scrappy trailer park that just happens to hold the secret to a rich life. In a waterfront campground off the coast of Virginia, residents spend their summers living spitting distance apart in rust-bitten RVs. They chuckle about the modest rent they pay for a million-dollar location, but what makes them the luckiest people in the world is more than just stunning sunsets, it's the community they've created. Beneath cliched trailer park stereotypes lies an unlikely utopia where all are welcome. Neighbors help each other out, and share everything from power tools to simple pleasures. Loneliness and isolation are inconceivable.  When their affordable paradise is sold to developers, the residents brace for eviction and the loss of friendships that span generations. They hold tight to their final days in the sun. The well-heeled crowd that takes their place will never be as wealthy. HAPPY CAMPERS: NEW TRAILER: Embed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJevuuNAxfU   Connect more with me and join my newsletter: https://www.chonacas.com/links/

I'm beyond thrilled to have my next guest on the show. Not only is Lois Vossen a legend in documentary film but she's also the person that put my first film into the world. We cover a lot of ground and her perspective on the state of things will be very interesting to anyone working doc film today. Lois Vossen is the Founding Executive Producer of Independent Lens, leading the PBS series to win 27 Emmy Awards, 28 Peabody Awards, 10 duPont-Columbia Awards, and 10 Oscar nominations. Previously, she was the Associate Managing Director of Sundance Film Festival and Labs. She served on the Television Academy Board of Governors and continues on its DEIA Committee. Lois is a member of AMPAS and has been on juries for festivals like TIFF, SXSW, and Palm Springs. Under her leadership, Independent Lens has co-produced notable films like Philly D.A., I Am Not Your Negro, and The Trials of Muhammad Ali. Please reach out if you have questions or guest suggestions. neil@brkly.com IG: neilpberkeley

Why should I have to change my lifestyle when there's all those poor people over there we can blame?!?BONUS EPISODES available on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/deniersplaybook) SOCIALS & MORE (https://linktr.ee/deniersplaybook) CREDITS Created by: Rollie Williams, Nicole Conlan & Ben BoultHosts: Rollie Williams & Nicole ConlanExecutive producer: Ben Boult Post-production: Jubilaria Media Researchers: Carly Rizzuto, Canute Haroldson & James CrugnaleArt: Jordan Doll Music: Tony Domenick Special thanks: The Civil Liberties Defense Center, Jan Breitling, Robert Fletcher SOURCESTucker: The world we live in cannot last. (2022, January 5). Fox News.U.S. Population Growth Rate 1950-2024. (2024). Macrotrends.Fox News. (2018, December 6). Tucker on mass migration's effect on our environment. YouTube.Fox News. (2017, July 7). Progressive: Limit immigration for the environments sake. YouTube.Utopian Dreams. (2017, March 27). Sir David Attenborough on Overpopulation. YouTube.Climate One. (2017). Jane Goodall Discusses Over Population. YouTube.The Borgen Project. (2010, August 2). Bill Gates on Overpopulation and Global Poverty. YouTube.Balan, M. (2016, October 24). NBC's Guthrie, Tom Hanks Hype Overpopulation: “The Math Does Add Up.” MrcTV; Media Research Center.Malthus, T. R. (1798). An Essay on the Principle of Population. In Internet Archive. J. Johnson London.The 1801 Census. (n.d.). 1911census.org.uk.Poor Law reform. (2024). UK Parliament.Ko, L. (2016, January 29). Unwanted Sterilization and Eugenics Programs in the United States. Independent Lens; PBS.Bold, M. G. (2015, March 5). Op-Ed: It's time for California to compensate its forced-sterilization victims. Los Angeles Times.Fletcher, R., Breitling, J., & Puleo, V. (2014). Barbarian hordes: the overpopulation scapegoat in international development discourse. Third World Quarterly, 35(7), 1195–1215. https://doi.org/10.1080/01436597.2014.926110Lyndon Johnson's State of the Union Address, 1967. (n.d.). Ballotpedia.Timms, A. (2020, May 18). Making Life Cheap: Making Life Cheap Population control, herd immunity, and other anti-humanist fables. The New Republic.National Security Study Memorandum NSSM 200: Implications of Worldwide Population Growth For U.S. Security and Overseas Interests (THE KISSINGER REPORT). (1974). USAID.USAID Policy Paper: Population Assistance. (1982). USAID.Doshi, V. (2016, October 26). Will the closure of India's sterilisation camps end botched operations? The Guardian.Kovarik, J. (2018, October 8). Why Don't We Talk About Peru's Forced Sterilizations? The New Republic.ISSUE BRIEF: USAID'S PARTNERSHIP WITH PERU ADVANCES FAMILY PLANNING. (2016). USAID.Ehrlich, P. R. (1968). The Population Bomb. Ballantine Books.Paul Ehrlich, famed ecologist, answers questions. (2004, August 10). Grist.If Books Could Kill. (2022, December 15). The Population Bomb. Podbay.Union of Concerned Scientists. (1992, July 16). 1992 World Scientists' Warning to Humanity. Union of Concerned Scientists.Haberman, C. (2015, May 31). The Unrealized Horrors of Population Explosion. The New York Times.United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. (2022). World Population Prospects 2022: Summary of Results. United Nations.Oxfam. (2024, July 2). What is famine, and how can we stop it? Oxfam America.Is There a Global Food Shortage? What's Causing Hunger, Famine and Rising Food Costs Around the World. (2023, November 16). World Food Program USA.Pengra, B. (2012). One Planet, How Many People? A Review of Earth's Carrying Capacity. In UNEP Global Environmental Alert Service (GEAS). UNEP.CONFRONTING CARBON INEQUALITY: Putting climate justice at the heart of the COVID-19 recovery. (2020). In OXFAM Media Briefing. OXFAM.United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. (2021). Global Population Growth and Sustainable Development. United Nations.Eyrich, T. (2018, November 14). Climate change is worsening, but population control isn't the answer. UC Riverside News.Disclaimer: Some media clips have been edited for length and clarity.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Chris Waters is a 20-year veteran of animation and television development and production for kids/family and adult audiences.  He currently serves as CPO of Playground Productions, an independent studio focused on development, finance and distribution of kids' and family content and co-founder of NounsFest, which funds and distributes independent animation globally. Prior to that, he served as head of development for nine-time Emmy® Award-winning Stoopid Buddy Stoodios (Robot Chicken, Crossing Swords, MODOK, Ultra City Smiths) and was co-founder of Oktobor Animation (Kung Fu Panda Legends of Awesomeness, Penguins of Madagascar, Robot and Monster). Chris lives in Los Angeles and wakes up early every New Year's Day to attend the Rose Parade, so making the “Shark Pickle Cone” documentary was a dream come true.   Neil Berkeley is an Emmy-nominated filmmaker. His third feature film, GILBERT, follows the life and career of beloved and intensely private comedian, Gilbert Gottfried. The film had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2017 and was distributed by Gravitas Ventures with exclusive SVOD on Hulu. His first feature film, BEAUTY IS EMBARASSING, premiered at SXSW in 2012 and chronicles inspiring artist Wayne White. The film won several Best Documentary Awards and was featured in PBS' Independent Lens in January of 2013. His second feature, HARMONTOWN, premiered at SXSW in 2014 and follows self-destructive TV writer Dan Harmon on an emotional, cross- country journey of self-discovery. Berkeley most recently served as showrunner for Amazon's standup comedy doc series, INSIDE JOKES.  He is also a founding partner at Decential Media.  Decential is a web3 media company focusing on telling the stories about the human side of emerging technology. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/crypto-hipster-podcast/support

In Berkeley Talks episode 198, documentary filmmaker Carrie Lozano delivers the keynote address at the 2024 Berkeley Journalism commencement ceremony. Lozano, who graduated from the school of journalism in 2005 and later taught in its documentary program, is now president and CEO of ITVS, a nonprofit that coproduces independent films for PBS and produces the acclaimed series, Independent Lens. “I've had a lot of tough moments in my career, sometimes feeling like I was not going to recover,” Lozano told the graduates at the May 11 event. “I have put energy into my process for dealing with staggering mistakes and things that don't work out.“First, I own my mistakes. We all make mistakes and it's OK to own them and take responsibility. And it's so liberating actually to just take responsibility for them. And then I do this: I allow myself, depending on the gravity of the situation, time to sulk or to cry, to be depressed, to be upset, to be angry, to feel all the feelings. But I am finite about it. Some things require a few hours. Some things might require a few days. Some things might require therapy. Whatever it is, I figure it out.“And then, I just try to figure out: What did I learn? How can I make it worth it? That was so damn painful … how can I make this mean something to me? How can I do better next time? Or at least not repeat it?"“It's super helpful to know that the feeling of failure is not the same thing as failing," she continued. "It's part of being human. It's part of growing. It's necessary. It's messy. It's life.”Berkeley Journalism recently launched a $54.4-million campaign to support the next generation of journalists whose stories will affect democracy, justice, human rights and the health of our environment. Learn more about the Campaign for Berkeley Journalism.Listen to the episode and read the transcript on Berkeley News (news.berkeley.edu/podcasts).Music by Blue Dot Sessions.UC Berkeley photo by Amin Muhammad. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the next decade, NASA intends to send astronauts to Mars for the first time. To succeed, crew members must overcome unprecedented life-threatening challenges. And while many of these hazards are physical, the most elusive are psychological. Throughout their three-year absence, crew members won't be able to communicate with Earth in real time due to the immense distance. The psychological impact of this level of disconnectedness and isolation-both from mission control and loved ones-is impossible to predict, endangering the mission itself. Directed to mitigate this threat is Dr. Al Holland, a NASA psychologist whose job is to keep astronauts mentally stable in space. Space: The Longest Goodbye follows Holland, rookie astronauts Kayla Barron and Matthias Maurer, and former astronaut Cady Coleman, among others, as they grapple with the tension between their dream of reaching new frontiers and their basic human need to stay connected to home. This conflict transcends space travel: how do humans balance the quest for progress with a deep connection to history and each other? SPACE: THE LONGEST GOODBYE debuts on PBS's Independent Lens on Monday, May 6th. Here's the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63KKJM4aOtE Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/arroe-collins-unplugged-totally-uncut--994165/support.

Daniel Buitrago, Brandon Fifield & Jack Lau bring in special guest Pete Chelkowski one of three directors of the PBS documentary “One With The Whale” - This in-depth conversation will cover cultural heritage, substance way of life, perseverance through society and the balance   Keith is the man (Keith Hoffman), Rural education, the Gambell Shootout, from blacksmith to film producer, “Woven Ashes” the first film in the mid 90's, Ecostorm, 1000 miles offshore, reaching out Chris & Susan, a stop at the Golden Nugget in Nome, caribou ass fat, food fermentation, eat your heart out Anthony bovine, Whale Blubber Sashimi, St. Lawrence Island, “Independent Lens”, working with PBS, screening the film and winning festivals, “One With The Whale”, only 2 guys filming, The film music, Rob Gilan, Mickey Millford,Story boarding and blocking the scenes, whale quota in AK, a flashy boat, Salty Dawgs & Surf Bums,   Visit our website - www.alaskawildproject.com Follow us on Instagram - www.instagram.com/alaskawildproject Watch on YouTube - www.youtube.com/@alaskawildproject Support on Patreon - www.patreon.com/alaskawildproject

Host Michael Azevedo speaks with Ido Mizrahy, the director of "Space: The Longest Goodbye," which will be broadcast on PBS on May 6 as part of the Independent Lens series.    In 1994, with the building of the International Space Station under way, NASA formed a psychological unit. Now, NASA astronauts may soon embark on even longer trips into deep space. Long-distance relationships are hard enough on Earth. On a three-year, round trip trek to Mars, navigating the unparalleled separation from home could be one of the biggest challenges to a successful mission.    Space: The Longest Goodbye, follows the journey of mentally preparing astronauts for such an unprecedented trip and reflects on the history of the NASA psychological unit.   In addition to its May 6 PBS broadcast, the film is also currently available for streaming on demand.   Making Media Now is sponsored by Filmmakers Collaborative, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting media makers from across the creative spectrum. From providing fiscal sponsorship to presenting an array of informative and educational programs, Filmmakers Collaborative supports creatives at every step in their journey.   About the host: www.writevoicecreative.com and https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-azevedo/ Sound Engineer: A.J. Kierstead 

Making Media Now host Michael Azevedo speaks with documentary filmmakers Anna Moot-Levin and Laura Green about the second in their 3-film Matter of Mind series. Their first film looked at ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease. Their latest film, which debuts on PBS's Independent Lens on April 8, tell the story of  Three people—a political cartoonist, a mother turned boxing coach, and an optician—as they navigate their lives with resourcefulness and determination in the face of a different degenerative illness, Parkinson's disease. Anna Moot-Levin is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, producer, and editor with a passion for stories about health and healthcare. Her debut documentary, The Providers, aired on PBS's Independent Lens in 2019. She is also an associate producer of the Academy Award-winning documentary Inside Job (2010). She is based in Brooklyn.   Laura Green is an award-winning documentary director and editor based in San Francisco. She collaborated with Anna on The Providers and is an assistant professor at San Francisco State University.   Making Media Now is sponsored by Filmmakers Collaborative, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting media makers from across the creative spectrum. From providing fiscal sponsorship to presenting an array of informative and educational programs, Filmmakers Collaborative supports creatives at every step in their journey.   About the host: www.writevoicecreative.com and https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-azevedo/   Sound Engineer: A.J. Kierstead 

Rural hospitals around America are closing at alarming rates, leaving communities without care. Since 2005 more than 190 rural community hospitals, mostly in the South, have closed. In this documentary If Dreams Were Lightning: Rural Healthcare Crisis Oscar-and Emmy-nominated director Ramin Bahrani visits Appalachia, where American communities are left with limited or no access to healthcare. Explore the rural healthcare crisis in the South through the eyes of those struggling in it and the dedicated doctors trying to reach them. If Dreams Were Lightning: Rural Healthcare highlight the challenges faced by Rural American communities today intimately through the lens of individuals, families, and tight-knit towns, underscoring the urgent need for systemic change in the national healthcare, climate and mental health systems. If Dreams Were Lightning: Rural Healthcare Crisis capped off the 2023 Winter Season for INDEPENDENT LENS, the award-winning PBS documentary anthology series presented by ITVS. Director Ramin Bahrani (Chop Shop, 99 Homes) joins us for a conversation on the existential and personal inspiration for the film, traveling around Appalachia in the Health Wagon with Dr. Teresa Tyson and Dr. Paula Hill-Collins and how the heartbreaking stories told by the people living without access to affordable healthcare has impacted his life. For more go to: pbs.org/if-dreams-were-lightning Support affordable healthcare @thehealthwagon.org

On this episode, host Michael Azevedo chats with Noam Osband & Sebastián Díaz, the co-directors and co-producers of a documentary called "A Thousand Pines." Wood and wood products are the biggest natural resources used and produced in America. Every year, hundreds of crews travel the country to plant pine trees. A considerable amount of those crews are made up of Latino workers, here on temporary visas. "A Thousand Pines" documents the stories of one of these Latino crews.   The film, which will be broadcast on the PBS series Independent Lens on April 1, documents the lives of migrants who depend on the controversial guest worker visa program. The film follows a crew of workers from Mexico over the course of a season planting trees throughout the United States. The crew struggles to balance the job's physical demands and its extreme isolation while remaining connected to their families back home. As the season progresses, they become a small family, cooking and caring for each other in order to endure the punishing work.   The film centers on the crew foreman, Raymundo Morales, who is in his 19th season working for the largest reforestation company in the US. When he began, he was single and had few responsibilities. Now, however, he must balance his obligations to his wife, his children, and his elderly mother with a heart condition, while also tending to the needs and emergencies of the planting crew. Spending only three months at home during the off-season, Raymundo's job is both the family's salvation and its heartbreak.   Making Media Now is sponsored by Filmmakers Collaborative, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting media makers from across the creative spectrum. From providing fiscal sponsorship to presenting an array of informative and educational programs, Filmmakers Collaborative supports creatives at every step in their journey.   About the host: www.writevoicecreative.com and https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-azevedo/   Sound Engineer: A.J. Kierstead 

Today Palm Springs is known for mid-century modern architecture and queer-friendly culture. But a new documentary on PBS's Independent Lens explores the history of racist housing practices in the city that effectively hid a black neigborhood behind a wall of trees. “Racist Trees” covers the fight to remove those trees decades after they were planted, and asks the question: 'Who takes responsibility for the wrongdoing of the past?' Directors Sara Newens and Mina T. Son join Sasha Khokha to talk about the film. Plus we visit San Francisco's Prelinger Library, a treasure trove of ephemera from books of soil samples to zines. In the 1990s, libraries started to become digital and began clearing out their catalogs. A network of like-minded librarians brought the “discards” to Rick and Megan Prelinger's attention. The husband and wife, already collectors of print and text items, opened their library in 2004 and say 'it's available to any and everyone who believes our past can pave a path to a better future.' 

Robert Franklin Williams was a black American civil rights leader who served as president of the Monroe, North Carolina chapter of the NAACP in the 1950s and early 1960s. Williams advocated armed self-defense against racism decades before the black power and black nationalist movements of the late 1960s and early 1970s made it a central message of their activism. Rob Williams lived in exile in Cuba for five years, during which he wrote Negroes with Guns in 1962; the book that formed the basis of a documentary on Williams and the Black Power movement. This episode reproduces the very documentary released in 2005 by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Independent Lens. The episode is part of the Africanist Press African History Series that aims to feature voices, institutions, and individuals engaged in the story of Africa's past and present development. 

'Breaking the News' follows the start-up of The 19th*, a non-profit journalism outlet focused on people marginalized by gender and race. The film, streaming from PBS' Independent Lens, captures the organization's successes and internal struggles. 

The Oscar nominations for documentary feature have sparked dissension in the nonfiction film community. By rewarding five international films, did the Academy's doc branch hurt American filmmakers, and unfairly punish documentaries with broad appeal? Three distinguished panelists join us for a vigorous debate: Lois Vossen, executive producer of Independent Lens, filmmaker Marjan Safinia, and former Documentary magazine editor Tom White. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tim Shorrock joined Scott on Antiwar Radio this week to discuss North Korea. Although the news has been dominated by Israel and Ukraine, tensions have been rising on the Korean peninsula as well — especially as Biden has worked towards remilitarizing Japan. Shorrock and Scott discuss what's happening, look at how close we got to a deal under Trump and revisit why this is all George W. Bush's fault. Discussed on the show: “An Open Letter to Independent Lens about ‘Beyond Utopia'” (Medium) Tim Shorrock is the author of Spies For Hire: The Secret World of Intelligence Outsourcing and a regular contributor to The Nation and the Korea Center for Investigative Reporting. Follow him on Twitter @TimothyS. This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Moon Does Artisan Coffee; Roberts and Robers Brokerage Incorporated; Tom Woods' Liberty Classroom; Libertas Bella; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott. Get Scott's interviews before anyone else! Subscribe to the Substack. Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjY Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

 Download Episode. Tim Shorrock joined Scott on Antiwar Radio this week to discuss North Korea. Although the news has been dominated by Israel and Ukraine, tensions have been rising on the Korean peninsula as well — especially as Biden has worked towards remilitarizing Japan. Shorrock and Scott discuss what's happening, look at how close we got to a deal under Trump and revisit why this is all George W. Bush's fault. Discussed on the show: “An Open Letter to Independent Lens about ‘Beyond Utopia'” (Medium) Tim Shorrock is the author of Spies For Hire: The Secret World of Intelligence Outsourcing and a regular contributor to The Nation and the Korea Center for Investigative Reporting. Follow him on Twitter @TimothyS. This episode of the Scott Horton Show is sponsored by: Moon Does Artisan Coffee; Roberts and Robers Brokerage Incorporated; Tom Woods' Liberty Classroom; Libertas Bella; ExpandDesigns.com/Scott. Get Scott's interviews before anyone else! Subscribe to the Substack. Shop Libertarian Institute merch or donate to the show through Patreon, PayPal or Bitcoin: 1DZBZNJrxUhQhEzgDh7k8JXHXRjY

Carrie Lozano has played a lot of important roles in the documentary field. Until not long ago she headed the Sundance Institute's Documentary Film and Artist Programs. Before that, she designed and directed the International Documentary Association's Enterprise Fund. Her gig right now is heading up ITVS, the Independent Television Service, which, among other things, funds and distributes public TV docs, and brings us the long-running, much-decorated PBS series Independent Lens. All her experience puts her smack in the middle of a lot of the conversations going on in the documentary world about cinema, journalism, and about the role of both in a democracy, and we talk about all that and more. More about Carrie here. Note: In this episode, we mention the fact that one of my favorite films of 2022, Reid Davenport's “I Didn't See You There,” is not streaming. Reid tells me he hopes to have it available on iTunes and Amazon on 1/10/24. Highly recommended!Films mentioned in this episode:I Didn't See You There (2022), Dir. Reid DavenportThe Day After Trinity (1981), Dir. Jon ElseThe Devil Never Sleeps (1994), Dir. Lourdes PortilloOppenheimer (2023), Dir. Christopher NolanOther mentions:Independent LensFault LinesIndependent Television  Service (ITVS)FrontlinePOVAmerica ReframedFirelight MediaFollow us on Instagram! @ThousandRoadsPodSpecial thanks for helping make this series happen: Sara Archambault, Florence Barrau-Adams, Jon Berman, Ben Cuomo (music), Jax Deluca, Pallavi Deshpande, Nancy Gibbs, Kathleen Hughes, Caroline Kracunas, Laura Manley, Alexis Pancrazi, Liz Schwartz, Jeff Seelbach, Lindsay Underwood (logo/graphics)This episode was supported by a fellowship at the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School.

In January of 2017, a mosque in Victoria, Texas was set on fire just hours after then-President Donald Trump signed a controversial executive order restricting migration from Muslim-majority countries. Victoria law enforcement officials and conservative town administrators were quick to praise local Muslim leadership for not jumping to conclusions that this fire was intentional. How can this “praise” be interpreted? Some might argue and see it as community leaders being passive or docile to avoid fueling a political firestorm. But after six years of reflection and the release of a documentary that explores the burning of the Victoria Islamic Center, the arsonist and the aftermath from the incident—what will it take for a quiet religious community to survive a hate crime? Join us as host Eddie Robinson speaks candidly with award-winning filmmaker, Li Lu—director of the PBS docu-series, A Town Called Victoria. In this 100th I SEE U episode recorded live in front of a sold-out studio audience at the historic DeLUXE Theater in Houston's 5th Ward, Eddie leads a provocative panel conversation with Lu, along with Muslim American community members of Victoria and Houston as they reveal unguarded perspectives about their experiences in the years after the blaze. Can collective healing and restorative justice ever exist in this divisive town? I SEE U panelists include producer/director, Li Lu; Victoria Islamic Center members: Abe and Heidi Ajrami, Dr. Shahid Hashmi, Omar and Lanell Rachid; along with Houston-area filmmaker, Fatima Hye.

As the first of our series of conversations from the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival, Mike spoke with Li Lu about her new 3-part series, “A Town Called Victoria”.  The film explores the aftermath of a mosque burning in this small Texas town.  Lu provides a nuanced portrait of the town itself, one torn between support for and fear of the victims, a divide that builds upon and reveals the racial, religious, and economic fissures that had long laid beneath the town's placid surface.  And while Lu focuses on one town, the resonances for the rest of America are not hard to discern.   “A Town Called Victoria” will premiere November 13th on PBS's Independent Lens.   Follow: @atowncalledvictoria on Instagram @topdocspod on Instagram and X   The Presenting Sponsor of "Top Docs" is Netflix.

In this episode, we spoke with Emmy-nominated Cinematographer Martina Radwan. Martina has shot award-winning documentaries including The Last Year, Food and Country, The Social Dilemma, How to Survive a Pandemic, Hot Coffee, Arthur Miller: Writer, Saving Face, Tomorrow, Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and episodes of American Masters, Frontline, Independent Lens, and P.O.V. On the narrative front, her films include The Killing Floor, Personal Velocity, Love Liza, Nico Icon, and Wim Wenders' Until the End of The World. In our chat, she shares her journey shooting projects all over the world, how she learned her craft, and insights on the art of documentary filmmaking today.The Making Of is presented by AJA Video Systems:AJA ColorBox: A powerhouse for color conversionPerform LUT-based color transformations with powerful video processing using AJA ColorBox in live, on-set, and post production environments. The compact device, which features 12G-SDI in/out and HDMI 2.0 out, provides advanced-level color science via the AJA Color Pipeline, as well as support for Colorfront, ORION-CONVERT, BBC, and NBCU color management approaches. Learn more here: www.aja.com/colorboxZEISS introduces their new camera tracking systemWith CinCraft Scenario, ZEISS presents a new, powerful and flexible camera tracking system as part of their CinCraft ecosystem. Built upon NCAM's unique tracking technology and ZEISS' expertise in lens data, the camera tracking system introduces a user experience designed to match the film crew's workflow and ease of use. Learn more hereFilm Book of the Month:The Big Goodbye: Chinatown and the Last Years of HollywoodChinatown is the Holy Grail of 1970s cinema. Its twist ending is the most notorious in American film and its closing line of dialogue the most haunting. Here for the first time is the incredible true story of its making. Looming over the story of this classic movie is the imminent eclipse of the '70s filmmaker-friendly studios as they gave way to the corporate Hollywood we know today. In telling that larger story, The Big Goodbye will take its place alongside classics like Easy Riders, Raging Bulls and The Devil's Candy as one of the great movie-world books ever written. Get a copy hereOWC Thunderbolt Go DockThe OWC Thunderbolt Go Dock is the first of its kind, full-featured Thunderbolt dock with a built-in power supply and 11 ports, for additional ease and connectivity while on the Go. It's a one-dock solution that works with all past, present and future Thunderbolt and USB devices and accessories. Browse hereGreat Film & TV Music at No Cost to You!All you need to do is provide music cue sheets for your qualified projects. It's Really That Simple.  In addition to most TV Shows and Feature Films, even TV Pilots can qualify. We're not talking about music that sounds like it should be free, this is cutting-edge underscore used daily on a global basis by Hollywood's Major Film & TV Studios. Visit us herePodcast Rewind:October 2023 - Ep. 20…The Making Of is published by Michael Valinsky.To promote your products or services to over 7,700 leading film & TV industry pros reading this newsletter, email us at mvalinsky@me.com Get full access to The Making Of at themakingof.substack.com/subscribe

Honored to have Jen Brea on the show. We had a wonderful conversation about her personal journey with MECFS, growing up with healthy parents and her experience in the ancestral health community. Jen was warning about the potential of chronic illness post Covid-19 infection, on her X account back in March of 2020.Jennifer Brea is an independent filmmaker based in Los Angeles. She has an AB from Princeton University and while studying for her PhD at Harvard she fell ill leaving her bedridden. In the aftermath, she rediscovered her first love, film. Her Sundance award-winning, Emmy-nominated feature documentary Unrest was shortlisted for an Oscar. Unrest has screened in over 30 countries, had its US national broadcast on PBS's Independent Lens, and was distributed worldwide on Netflix. She is also co-creator of Unrest VR, winner of the Sheffield Doc/Fest Alternate Realities Award. Brea is a TED fellow, co-directed Call Me Cleo for HBO Max, is currently filming a new documentary about physicians, and is writing her first narrative script. Her Ted Talk has 2.5 million views. Jen is working on her second film and remains a fierce advocate for the ME/CFS community and now Long Covid. You can follow Jen's work on her website https://www.jenniferbrea.com/ and on X @jenbrea Get full access to Ancestral Health Today Substack at ancestralhealth.substack.com/subscribe

Marcia Franklin talks with Idaho filmmakers Heather Rae and Russell Friedenberg. The two produced and wrote “Trudell,” a documentary about Native American poet and activist John Trudell. The documentary aired on Idaho Public Television as part of the “Independent Lens” series. Rae and Friedenberg discuss their film, which premiered at Sundance and has been screened around the world. They also talk about their upcoming works, the state of documentary filmmaking, and their plans to buy a building in Boise that will be a filmmaking center. Originally aired: 06/22/2006

Laurel Chiten has been influencing social issues for over 30 years. Her high-profile films have screened at film festivals around the world; at universities and medical schools; won numerous awards; been nominated for a national Emmy and been broadcast on PBS's Emmy winning national series, Independent Lens, and POV. Her previous films have gained her acknowledgement and respect from doctors, researchers and institutions including Harvard Medical School, UCLA, MIT, and Harvard University, Laurel was an artist in residence at the Bellagio Conference and Study Center sponsored by Rockefeller Foundation, Yaddo and The MacDowell Colony. Before working in documentary film, Chiten was a certified sign language interpreter and involved in deaf theatre as a writer and director. She is the CEO of Blind Dog Films and a Member Owner of New Day Films. The intention in all her work is to entertain her audiences while educating them.  Since the success of her film JUST ONE DROP, Laurel has become passionate about exploring unique forms of distribution and exhibition and led her into the world of digital marketing. She recently launched Your Video Angel, https://yourvideoangel.com/ to help entrepreneurs use video and storytelling to attract and retain customers.   Podcast Program Disclaimer The information provided or made available in this Program by Kruger Universe Pty Ltd T/A Eugenie Kruger Homeopathy (we, us, our) is for information/education purposes only and cannot replace or substitute for the services of trained professionals in any field, including, but not limited to, mental health, financial, medical, psychological, or legal fields. We do not offer any professional, personal, medical, financial or legal advice and none of the information contained in the Program should be confused as such advice.  While we use best endeavours to provide accurate and true content, we make no guarantees or promises regarding the accuracy, reliability or completeness of the information presented. Further the author does not guarantee that you will receive any particular outcome or benefit as a result of participating in this Program. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we (and our other program contributors) will not be liable for any direct, indirect, consequential, special, exemplary or other damages to the participant or the participants' business including economic loss that may result from participation in the Program or from the use of, or the inability to use, the materials, information, or strategies communicated through the Program or any products or services provided pursuant to the Program, even if advised of the possibility of such damages. As participant, you participate in this Program at your own risk and are solely responsible and accountable for your decisions, actions and results. By your participation in the Program you agree not to hold or attempt to hold us, or any of our program contributors, liable for any decisions, actions or results that you make or experience in business or in life due to your participation in this Program at any time, under any circumstances.

  On Thursday's show: As temperatures rise this week we talk with HPM reporters about efforts to help the city's homeless population and what ERCOT is monitoring for our electric grid. Also this hour: We consider Houston's reputation as a humid, muggy, and perhaps somewhat inhospitable place with Dylan Baddour from Inside Climate News Then, we learn about a group of conservative, Christian mothers fighting to protect their LGBTQ+ children as featured in a new documentary by Independent Lens. And we visit The Heritage Society at Sam Houston Park and learn about an important figure in Houston's African-American history.

Town Square with Ernie Manouse airs at 3 p.m. CT. Tune in on 88.7FM, listen online or subscribe to the podcast. Join the discussion at 888-486-9677, questions@townsquaretalk.org or @townsquaretalk. First, we talk with Daresha Kyi, the Director & Producer of the documentary Mama Bears, who discusses the film and its exploration of a group of moms, or “Mama Bears”, who are fighting for the rights of their LGBTQIA+ children. The documentary follows two mothers from conservative Christian backgrounds who reconcile their faith with their children's identity, learn to love them unconditionally, and advocate for their rights and wellbeing. It also follows a young lesbian who struggles with her own self-acceptance and illustrates why the support of the Mama Bears is so important. Then, we're joined by Liz Dyer, the founder of Mama Bears who shares her personal story, from initially having trouble understanding when her son came out, to fully supporting her son, and eventually creating a private Facebook group for mothers of LGBTQIA+ kids to share resources and offer support. We're also joined by Clinical Psychologist Dr. Tyson Reuter who discusses the importance of family acceptance on a child's mental health, what to tell families who are having a difficult time understanding when their child comes out, and how coming out is not a one-time thing.   Mama Bears the documentary is set to air on PBS's Independent Lens on Tuesday, June 20, 2023, at 9:00 p.m. CT.  It will also be available to stream on the PBS app. Guests: Daresha Kyi Director & Producer, Mama Bears Liz Dyer Founder of “Mama Bears” Dr. Tyson Reuter Licensed Clinical Psychologist Town Square with Ernie Manouse is a gathering space for the community to come together and discuss the day's most important and pressing issues. We also offer a free podcast here, on iTunes, and other apps

Welcome to the Green Room Meditations Podcast, presented by the Indiana Repertory Theatre and hosted by Devon Ginn.  Today, we are in conversation with: Eric Sharp (he/him). Mr. Sharp portrays Mr. Green in the Indiana Repertory Theatre's production of Clue! If you missed the Indianapolis run, you can catch our co-production with Syracuse Stage from June 7th - 25th in 2023.   Eric is an actor, writer, and director based in Minneapolis with over 20 years of professional stage and screen experience. Commercial and voiceover clients include Netflix, HBO Max, Hulu, Independent Lens, Penguin Random House Audio, Best Buy, Mayo Clinic, Target, and more. He has appeared onstage nationally and internationally at the Guthrie Theater, Ten Thousand Things, The Jungle Theater, Mixed Blood Theatre, Alliance Theatre, and the Minnesota, Toronto, and Edinburgh Fringe Festivals. Eric played Mowgli in The Jungle Book at Children's Theatre Company, and the young Dalai Lama on multiple tours of TigerLion Arts' The Buddha Prince. An Associate Artist at Theater Mu, Eric wrote and starred in the world premiere of Middle Brother, and has appeared in Cambodian Rock Band, Hot Asian Doctor Husband, Two Mile Hollow, Twelfth Night, Charles Francis Chan, Jr..., Yellow Fever and many more. He recently directed the educational video series The Remix with Theater Mu (available on YouTube), and created and produced the audio series: You Shall Hear Me: Stories from Beyond. He serves as curator for AKOA (All Kinds of Awesome): a live storytelling event featuring true stories from the international adoptee community.   www.worksharp.org About the Indiana Repertory Theatre: Founded in 1971, the Indiana Repertory Theatre (IRT) is the largest professional not-for-profit theatre in the state and one of the leading regional theatres in the country. The mission of the Indiana Repertory Theatre is to produce top-quality, professional theatre and related activities, providing experiences that will engage, surprise, challenge, and entertain people throughout their lifetimes, helping us build a vital and vibrant community. Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA): The IRT strives to celebrate and serve the diverse people and cultures that make up our whole community. The IRT is committed to providing access for all; to creating and maintaining an antiracist theatre that is inclusive, safe, and respectful. https://www.irtlive.com/ 

Summer in a college town, stolen TCBY signs, selling popcorn to John Cougar Mellencamp, and meeting one of your best friends in Sociology class after you've spent the night in jail. That's Jim Granato, our first guest. Jim grew up in Unionville, a little town right to the east of Bloomington. He and Josh became fast friends during high school, which is also when Jim found himself at home behind the camera. Jim is now a freelance filmmaker in San Francisco. His films and documentaries have appeared on PBS, including A Day with My Boy: Slug War and D-Tour, a documentary that follows professional drummer and Bloomington native, Pat Spurgeon, as he does daily dialysis and searches for a new kidney while on tour with rock band Rogue Wave. Spurgeon's story is deeply intertwined with those of several other Bloomingtonians. More about Jim: Jim Granato is a self-taught, award-winning filmmaker based in Oakland, California. Born in Chicago, Jim moved to the Bloomington area with his family when he was 5 years old (1978) and his earliest memories there are seeing the movie trucks and lights that were set around town when BREAKING AWAY (released 1979) was being filmed. He grew up fascinated with movies ever since, making up scenarios with childhood friends creating movie drawings and shooting polaroids and occasional super 8 before video cameras were available. In 1991, he started making short films on VHS with a dedicated group of friends that included trick or treaters getting run over, killer puppets, nude serial killers with plenty of the era's local underground music scene sprinkled in between. Jim left Bloomington in 1994.  Since 1996, he has lived in the San Francisco Bay Area and has directed and produced several short films and music videos.  His shorts, A Day With My Boy: Slug War (2014), was licensed by PBS and premiered as part of their series PBS Indies, and Angels (2013) was nominated for a Golden Gate Award at the San Francisco International Film Festival. He has made music videos for Sonny & The Sunsets, Rogue Wave, Ramon & Jessica, Pancho-San and The Bobbyteens.  D TOUR (2009), which partially takes place in Bloomington, is his first feature film as director and producer. D TOUR won several awards including the Golden Gate Award for Bay Area Feature Documentary from the San Francisco International Film Festival and the Jury Prize for Best Documentary from the Bend Film Festival. D TOUR premiered nationwide on the PBS Emmy award-winning program Independent Lens in November 2009. He is currently working on a second feature film project with underground "budget rock" legends, The Mummies, and has plans to write and direct a feature length project based on growing up in Bloomington. Check out some of Jim's projects:  Jim's vimeo Mummies Movie Mummies Facebook D TOUR BIG NEWS: WE HAVE MERCH! Designed by Chris Mott and sponsored by badknees. Check it out! Support Bloomington Stories Transcripts Contact & Follow: bloomingtonstoriespod@gmail.com  Instagram Facebook Threads Content Warning: It is never our intention to hurt or offend people, and we plan to be mindful about not punching down. We are always open to feedback about this because we want to keep growing and evolving until we croak. However, we do like to joke around and we are middle-aged, so our sense of humor may not be for you.    

Today, I'm joined by Peabody Award-winning documentary filmmaker Vivian Kleiman. In her latest film, No Straight Lines: The Rise of Queer Comics, Vivian offers an intimate look at five pioneers of queer comics: Alison Bechdel, Rupert Kinnard, Howard Cruse, Jen Camper, and Mary Wings. The film also introduces a new generation of LGBTQ+ artists creating comics.  In our conversation, Vivian and I discuss how this project came about and her thought process behind certain cinematic touches. Vivian hits on some of the storytelling conflicts she went through while creating the film, including how to bring the viewers into the hearts and minds of the featured artists.  We also talk about what it means for a film like this to be picked up by PBS, given the current political climate.  Although she originally imagined No Straight Lines on a streaming platform like Netflix or HBO, it ultimately landed with Independent Lens, the independent documentary film branch of PBS. Vivian shares her approach to conforming with the FCC guidelines in a way that honors the content, but makes it available to a wide audience. You can watch No Straight Lines for free on PBS until April 23, 2023. If you're catching this episode after that date, it's still available for a small fee as a PBS member. Subscribe, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Castbox, or on your favorite podcast platform.Topics Covered:●      Why Vivian pursued this film, even though she doesn't identify as a ‘comic geek' ●      The importance of having queer stories represented in comics that are humorous, but also poignant●      How Vivian came up with a way to portray these artists and their work in a dynamic way ●      Celebrating Tongues Untied, a landmark film she produced with Marlon Riggs, entering into the in the National Film RegistryGuest Info:●      Vivian's Website ●      Vivian's Instagram ●      Vivian's LinkedIn ●      No Straight Lines Website Follow Me:●      My LinkedIn●      Art Heals All Wounds Website●      Art Heals All Wounds Instagram●      Art Heals All Wounds Twitter ●      Art Heals All Wounds Facebook●      Art Heals All Wounds Newsletter

The iconic actor Judd Hirsch ("Taxi", "The Fablemans") is in a new indie comedy called "iMordecai" which opened on Friday, February 10th. Also, documentary filmmaker Colin Askey discusses his documentary "Love in the Time of Fentanyl" which premieres on PBS's Independent Lens on February 13th.

With a strong foundation in nonfiction and educational filmmaking, Kathleen Ermitage is a director, writer, and producer. Her work includes award-winning content funded by the Gates Foundation and MacArthur Foundation and more than 200 educational films distributed nationally on Channel One. With John Scheinfeld and Dave Harding, she worked as an associate producer and researcher on Chasing Trane, feature documentary Sergio Mendes: In the Key of Joy, Herb Alpert Is, PBS programs, and a film about a major league baseball team. Their documentaries have been official selections at the Telluride, Toronto, IDFA (Amsterdam), and DOC NYC film festivals, released theatrically all over the world, and aired on PBS's Independent Lens.

Portland comic book artist Rupert Kinnard introduced his character the Brown Bomber in 1977, and later, BB's sidekick Diva Touché Flambé. Kinnard created the first African American LGBTQ characters in comics. His stories are now chronicled in the documentary, “No Straight Lines: The Rise of Queer Comics,” which premieres on OPB on January 23, 2023 in the new season of the PBS series “Independent Lens.” Throughout his career, Kinnard contributed to Willamette Week and co-founded Just Out. He was also the first Black member of the first LGBTQ-rights umbrella organization in Oregon. Through the Brown Bomber and Diva Touché Flambé, he provided commentary on social issues including gay rights and racial justice. Kinnard spoke to us in June 2021 when the documentary was featured in the QDoc festival in Portland.

The Big Payback is a new documentary film that chronicles the efforts for reparations on both the national level with H.R. 40 through Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and on the local level in Evanston, Illinois by following the work of Alderman Ruth Rue Simmons. Co-Directors Erika Alexander and Whitney Dow talk about their film which makes its television premiere on PBS' Independent Lens on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.  

Tonight, the Independent Lens documentary series on PBS premieres “The Big Payback: Fear and Reparations in the American Suburb.” The 21st was joined by the film's co-directors who also co-hosted a podcast of the same name to discuss their work.

The Big Payback is a new documentary film that chronicles the efforts for reparations on both the national level with H.R. 40 through Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and on the local level in Evanston, Illinois by following the work of Alderman Ruth Rue Simmons. Co-Directors Erika Alexander and Whitney Dow talk about their film which makes its television premiere on PBS' Independent Lens on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.  

Hundreds of years ago, cut off from the outside world and confined to so-called chamber rooms, rural women in Jiangyong in southern China did something radical and transformative: they invented their own secret language. Speaking and writing “Nushu” to each other, the women found their voice and created a community of sisterhood. In her poetical and powerful documentary “Hidden Letters”, director Violet Du Feng (“Maineland”, “Confucian Dream”) explores the fascinating history of Nushu and follows two contemporary women who are fighting to keep the language alive and true to its original spirit.   Violet joins Ken on “Top Docs” to discuss Nushu, its current context, and her multi-layered creative approach. How did Violet decide that the key to the film was not just focusing on Nushu but on the “modern” Chinese woman and the staggering societal pressures she faces? In the midst of her production, why did she abandon the idea of animation and go in a completely different direction? And, in the face of Nushu's recent commercialization, how can its practitioners ensure that Nushu continues to exist “in the internal space of who we are”?   “Hidden Letters” is one of 15 documentaries named to the Oscar Shortlist in the category of Best Documentary Feature. Distributed by Cargo Film and Releasing, the film premieres on Independent Lens on March 27th.   Follow: @topdocspod on Instagram and twitter @violetdufeng on Instagram and @HiddenLetters_ on twitter   Hidden Gem: Happiness is £4 Million   The Presenting Sponsor of "Top Docs" is Netflix.

Join us as we talk to Alka Bhanot of Indie Meme festival and Hanna Huang of the Asian American film festival about Austin-based film festivals creating culture and diversity in storytelling in Austin. Alka Bhanot is the co-founder of Indie Meme Film Festival, an award winning festival, organized in April in Austin Texas, IMFF is a 4 day fest celebrating excellent South Asia cinema, filmmaker interactions, panels, parties, networking and discussions. Alka has extensive experience producing for Indian Television and was the Executive Producer for the first Late Night Show, ‘Movers & Shakers' in India, which won numerous awards. In Austin, since 2003 her film credits include Bryan Poyser's ‘Dear Pillow' (2003) Winner, Best Narrative Feature, Atlanta Film Festival, Margaret Brown's ‘Be Here To Love Me' (2006) a film about the life and music of Townes Van Zandt and ‘Sunshine'(2009) a documentary about adoption and single parenthood by Karen Skloss which aired as part of the Independent Lens series on PBS. She also worked on the ‘Trevor Romain Video Series' (2005) an animated kids show which aired on PBS. Hanna Huang is the executive director of Austin Asian American Film Festival. AAAFF is an annual film festival that highlights new Asian and Asian American films with a mission of championing Asian and Asian American stories via media arts and empowering Asian Americans to explore opportunities in cinema. Movie Review: Panic Showrunner: Chantelle James Hosts & Producers: Ai Vuong, Chantelle James & Samantha Rae Lopez Editors: Shannon Stefan, Valerie Torres, and Karla Rivera Movie Reviews: Summer Heart Marketing: Karla Rivera & Tori Rose Follow us: @wift_austin https://www.wiftaustin.com podcast@wiftaustin.org

This week, Ayana is joined by filmmaker and author Dr. Brett Story. Together, they ponder justice, accountability, and interconnection in a complex and rapidly changing world. In this intellectual and timely conversation, Brett begins by unpacking how carceral logics and conceptions of the “criminal” work, mark and dictate the world spatially, while at the same time explaining the socially-constructed nature of crime. Brett's work examines the ways we individually and collectively metabolize our anxieties, and through this lens, she makes connections across the broad issues of our current reality from changing climates to criminal justice systems that were designed to enforce control rather than to produce true justice. At the center of the conversation is the question of interdependence– emphasizing the need for community and collective action in the face of neoliberal individualism. Mass-incarceration and climate change are not crises of the individual, but of our culture. The abolitionist imagination may be the key to a collective future– as Brett reminds listeners that our aspirations can be both practical and utiopan. Brett Story is an award-winning nonfiction filmmaker based in Toronto whose films have screened at festivals and theaters internationally. She is the director of the award winning feature documentaries The Hottest August (2019) and The Prison in Twelve Landscapes (2016), both of which were also broadcast on PBS's Independent Lens. Brett holds a Ph.D. in geography from the University of Toronto and is currently an assistant professor in the School of Image Arts at Ryerson University. She is the author of the book, Prison Land: Mapping Carceral Power across Neoliberal America. Brett was a 2016 Sundance Institute Art of Nonfiction Fellow and a 2018 Guggenheim Fellow in film and video. Music by Jahawi Bertolli, Jahnavi Veronica, and Leyla McCalla. Visit our website at forthewild.world for the full episode description, references, and action points.

Bob DeMars is an award-winning filmmaker with over 15 years of experience producing, writing, and directing. He was a producing partner at Pelagius Films from 2002 to 2009. In 2009, he produced his first documentary, "Adjust Your Color: The Truth of Petey Green", narrated by Don Cheadle. This documentary was the follow-up to the acclaimed "Talk to Me", from Universal's Focus Features, and it was distributed by PBS's "Independent Lens. It went on to win the program's Audience Award for the year.A screenwriter by trade, he wrote the final polish draft for "Talk to Me". Following the film's success, DeMars broke from Pelagius to focus on screenwriting. One current project, "Ring of Deceit", written by DeMars, is based on a true story involving two men who embezzled $87 million from Wells Fargo in Los Angeles and used the money to finance the biggest fights in boxing in the early 80's; it currently has Antoine Fuqua attached to direct.In 2012, DeMars began researching college athletes' rights. Instead of waiting for one of his screenplays to get made, he decided to make a movie about something he cared about. This became the impetus for "The Business of Amateurs", a documentary that makes the case that the NCAA places the profits of colleges ahead of the best interests of athletes and their families. As a former USC football player, DeMars pulls no punches in the film, tackling many beats, from the exploitation of the college athlete to the prevalence of brain trauma inherent to college football. He systematically points out the hypocrisy and injustices that, in some cases, are life or death issues."You don't make documentaries to make money; you make them to make a difference", says DeMars. "The Business of Amateurs" is was ranked as one of the top 20 documentaries on iTunes for 2016. The documentary as gone on to inspire legislation for college athletes in many states as swell as encourage many former players to pledge their brain to CTE research.Connect with the Film School'd Podcast:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/filmschooldInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/filmschooldpod/Twitter: https://twitter.com/FilmSchooldPodYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdgrswiL4AGviAOcbzfYCAwContinue the Conversation in the Official Film School'd Discussion Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/filmschoold