Bike Vessel

Independent Lens

Indie Films Series / 8 Seasons

Authentic stories. Extraordinary people.

Watch Latest: S26 E13

1h 24m

Circo: For a Circus Family, Life is a Balancing Act

2m 14s / TV-PG

In this scene from the Independent Lens documentary, CIrco, Tino and Ivonne Ponce struggle with the challenges of raising a family of their own while running a touring circus in Mexico started by Tino's parents.

Circo: Remembering the Ringmaster Who Started It All

5m 7s / TV-PG

For the Ponces, circuses literally run in the family from generation to generation. In this scene from the Independent Lens documentary, Circo, we follow Tino and his family to a Day of the Dead reunion at his grandmother's home and pay tribute to the late grandfather, his family's original ringmaster.

Facing the Storm: Appreciating the Animal That Symbolizes th

49s / TV-PG

Watch an excerpt from the Independent Lens film, Facing the Storm, in which the American Bison is described as a window looking out onto a vanished world and a living symbol of the American West.

Facing the Storm: Remembering Big Medicine and the Big Bison

4m 44s / TV-PG

In 1933, a white buffalo was born on the National Bison Range in Montana. He was named "Big Medicine" by the Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Valley. White buffalo are sacred to many Native American tribes. In the companion video to the documentary "Facing the Storm," we see a special ceremony held in 2006 commemorating this earlier appearance.

Facing the Storm: Nearing Extinction, the Buffalo Was Hunted

2m 26s / TV-PG

By the early 1880s, buffalo were on the verge of extinction. Ironically, one man, William T. Hornaday, decided that hunting down and stuffing them was the best way to preserve these majestic animals. During one hunting expedition, Native Americans decorated the body of one of fallen buffalo, revealing their reverence for the buffalo.

Is There Room for the American Bison in America Anymore?

2m / TV-PG

The bison is an enduring symbol of America, and yet it stands on the brink of collapse. Cattle ranching, urban sprawl, and sport hunting has squeezed the beast from the Great Plains it once dominated. Is there room for the American bison in America anymore?

Revenge of the Electric Car: Enter the Emperor of the Electr

1m 11s / TV-PG

Every revolution needs its Napolean. At Nissan World Headquarters the world's most formidible car mogul, Carlos Ghosn, enters the electric vehicle race not with passion or vision, but with sheer capitialist drive.

Revenge of the Electric Car: Pimping Yesterday's Jalopies In

1m 7s / TV-PG

Greg "Gadget" Abbott and wife Charlotte Jackson are fighting the good fight in electric car conversion ... one vehicle at a time. They're amping up the jalopies of yesteryear into the dream rides of tomorrow. But can they compete with industry giants and angel investor-backed startups?

Revenge of the Electric Car: The Incredible Awesomeness of E

1m 3s / TV-PG

CEO and founder of Tesla Motors, Entrepreneur Elon Musk, brings movie-star energy and sex appeal to the battle royale over the electic car. He's been compared to comic book hero Tony Stark, the millionaire-turned-superhero of "Iron Man" comic book fame.

When the Drum is Beating: The Painful Truth of Haiti's Colon

1m 19s / TV-PG

In this excerpt from the Independent Lens documentary, When the Drum Is Beating, Professor Robert Fatton considers how the French colonists depended on African slave labor to achieve economic dominance -- and used the most brutal methods to dominate the men and women they enslaved.

When the Drum is Beating: Despite Difficulties, Septentriona

1m 38s / TV-PG

In this excerpt from the Independent Lens documentary, When the Drum Is Beating, members of the band Septentrional hold a planning meeting to discuss how they can overcome the obstacles of limited resources and personnel.

Haiti's Best Known Band Keeps Hope Alive

2m 15s / TV-PG

For 60 years, Haiti's most popular band, Septentrional, has survived corrupt governments, revolutions, natural disasters, extreme poverty, and national tragedy. Its joyous fusion of Cuban and Haitian beats lifts and celebrates the indomitable Haitian spirit.

When the Drum is Beating: Remembering the Glory Days of Cap-

2m 17s / TV-PG

In this excerpt from the Independent Lens documentary, When the Drum Is Beating, veteran members of the band Septentrional take a trip down memory lane in pre-earthquake Cap-Haitien.

You're Looking At Me Like I Live Here and I Don't: Making Mi

50s / TV-PG

Lee Gorewitz is a feisty, opinionated woman given to philosophical ruminations on the nature of things, even as she struggles to navigate the increasingly confused and confusing landscape of Alzheimer's disease. In this clip, she makes mischief during the activity period in the Alzheimer's care facility where she lives.

You're Looking at Me Like I Live Here and I Don't: Hanging O

1m 11s / TV-PG

In this clip from the film, feisty Alzheimer's patient Lee Gorewitz pinches a box of cereal from the staff and teases her fellow patients as a way to combat caginess in the care unit.

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