Bike Vessel

Independent Lens

Indie Films Series / 8 Seasons

Authentic stories. Extraordinary people.

1h 24m

Fred and Trish: Passionately-Abled

4m 28s / TV-PG

Trish Irons, Fred Fay's companion for 29 years, talks about their shared passions ... and passionate relationship. Fred Fay survived a devastating spinal cord injury when he was only 16, and turned his misfortune into a movement for equality, spearheading the disability rights movement and changing the face of American society. He passed away on August 20, 2011.

Like an Emancipation Proclamation for the Disabled

2m 36s / TV-PG

Fred Fay survived a devastating spinal cord injury when he was only 16, and turned his misfortune into a movement for equality. With a small group of dedicated activists, he spearheaded the disability rights movement and changed the face of American society.

Donor Unknown: Uncanny Similarities Between Newfound Sibling

2m 45s / TV-PG

From their big toes, affection for animals, and, of course, their eyebrows, the offspring of Donor 150 were amazed to discover what they had in common both in their appearances and personalities, raising intriguing questions about our understanding of parenthood and the strange power of our genetic connections.

A Family Reunion Unlike Any Other

2m 36s / TV-PG

JoEllen Marsh is 20 years old, and has never met her father. As she goes in search of her paternity, her path to Donor 150 becomes an exploration into identity and the complex permutations of family.

Donor Unknown: On the Road with Donor 150

3m / TV-PG

With his dog as a co-pilot, Jeffrey sets out to seize the day. However, when his camper breaks down, he shifts gears to meditate on the meaning of life, though his mechanic friend has a less optimistic take on the world.

Join the Club with Mary-Louise Parker

25s

Hey film fans, we're starting the Independent Lens documentary club this year and we really want you to join. It's free and easy! Just follow @IndependentLens on Twitter. We'll discuss another great film every week under the hashtag #ILDocClub. So what are you waiting for? We need your insights!

Donor Unknown: "Hello, I'm Your Sister. Our father Is Donor

3m 26s / TV-PG

When one girl discovered a unique online registry that connects donor-conceived children, she managed to track down a half-sister in New York. The New York Times picked up the story and, over time, 12 more half-siblings emerged across the United States.

Independent Lens Launches Its Tenth Season

2m 18s

In 10 years, Independent Lens has brought more than 275 films to PBS. The stories and storytellers we continue to champion make the series the most diverse on television. Our goal is to help viewers better understand today's complex world by taking them to places they wouldn't otherwise see, and encounter people they wouldn't otherwise meet.

Mary-Louise Parker to Host Independent Lens

43s

The Emmy Award-winning PBS series Independent Lens is proud to announce that the multi-award winning actress Mary-Louise Parker will host the upcoming tenth anniversary season, premiering on Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 10 PM (check local listings). Parker, the star of the acclaimed Showtime series Weeds, is the latest in the distinguished company of Independent Lens hosts.

Wham! Bam! Islam!: Behind the Scenes

4m 42s / TV-PG

Isaac Solotaroff has worked as a documentary producer and editor since 1998. His work has been nominated for an Emmy Award and received a special commendation from the Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences.

Wham! Bam! Islam!: Investing in Comics for Social Change

1m 54s / TV-PG

Kuwaiti investor Majid Al-Refai describes how his own upbringing in rural Mississippi gives him an added advantage when negotiating cultural differences between Americans and Arabs...except when it comes to chitlins!

Beware Evildoers: Here Come the 99!

2m 49s / TV-PG

When a Kuwaiti psychologist launches a comic series based on the 99 virtues of Allah, he runs up against suspicion from Muslims and the harsh realities of the global marketplace.

Wham! Bam! Islam!: The Secrets of a Comic Book Mastermind Re

1m 42s / TV-PG

The fictional universe was a kind of refuge to the chubby young Al-Mutawa during his childhood in Kuwait. Books became his passport to other worlds...something he would champion through the creation of his comic book, The 99.

Wham! Bam! Islam!: Imagining New Heroes for Muslim Children

1m 19s / TV-PG

Naif Al-Mutawa, the creator of The 99, describes reading about a Palestinian businessman who published a sticker book called the Intifada Album that extolled the virtues of suicide bombers. He would cite this as an example to potential funders for his own project, explaining that Muslim children needed new heroes.

Being Elmo: Puppeteer Kevin Clash Talks About Being Elmo

1m 7s

Elmo puppeteer Kevin Clash answers the question: what's the most unusual time you've done Elmo's voice outside of Sesame Street? Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey will hit theaters in October. The documentary will have its PBS premiere on Independent Lens in April, 2012.

Being Elmo: Elmo Answers Your Question

29s

Elmo answers the question: what is Elmo's favorite food? Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey will hit theaters in October. The documentary will have its PBS premiere on Independent Lens in April, 2012.

Two Spirits: Father Figures

2m 35s / TV-PG

Author, photographer, and activist Mark Thompson describes his experience being mentored as a youth by a gay couple who set a positive example of how to live a creative and healthy life. This kind of mentoring is very important to help young people like Fred grow up and be all that they possibly can be.

Two Spirits: Kids Like Fred

2m 40s / TV-PG

Activist Cathy Renna describes "overkill," the inordinate level of violence which is common in hate crimes, as Fred's mother Paula copes with the desecration of Fred's grave and murder site by vandals and tries to keep kids like Fred safe.

Two Spirits: The Changing Ones

2m 34s / TV-PG

The world struggles for an understanding of what the terms "gay, straight, bisexual, and transgender" mean. But Native American beliefs about the spectrum of the masculine and feminine also connect with a gender-bending tradition from the Middle Ages in Europe.

The Bravest Choice Is To Be Yourself

2m 1s / TV-PG

Two Spirits is the tragic story of a mother's loss of her son with a revealing look at the largely unknown history of a time when the world wasn't simply divided into male and female, and many Native American cultures held places of honor for people of integrated genders.

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