Independent Lens

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.

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.

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.

Discover the man behind the furry red monster named Elmo - puppeteer Kevin Clash. 4/9/2012

Kevin Clash grew up dreaming of working with his idol, master puppeteer Jim Henson. Today, he is the man behind Elmo, among Sesame Street's most beloved characters.

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.

Lee Gorewitz lives in a care facility for Alzheimer's patients, but she is not simply waiting to die. She is full of curiosity and frustration, struggling to remember herself and make sense of a world that is falling away from her.

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.

Lee finds a birthday card but cannot recognize that she is the "Mom" to whom the card is addressed. Exasperated and missing her children, Lee embraces a make believe family of stuffed animals.

In this special educational module, Rose Mapendo, a woman whose family suffered severe hardships during violent conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo, shares her story as a powerful way to inspire collective action that can bring about positive change.

Witness the reunion of a mother and daughter separated during the Congolese civil war. 3/22/2012

Witness the resurrection of the Wampanoag language more than a century after the last native speaker died. 3/15/2012

This special educational module explores various elements of the context in which Benazir Bhutto became the first woman leader of a Muslim nation, including the status of women in Pakistan, the influences of Islam and the military on Pakistani politics, the leadership of her father, and her personal family life. In addition, we see the complexities of being a female leader in a Muslim country.

A portrait of one of the most fascinating and complex figures of our time, Bhutto is the epic tale of the life and tragic death of Benazir Bhutto, who broke the Islamic glass ceiling as the first woman leader of a Muslim country. 3/8/2012

Archbishop Emeritus of Cape Town, Desmond Tutu explains how manmade customs need to be changed in order to include the talents of women and girls. He is a proud supporter of Women and Girls Lead -- a Public Media initiative designed to focus, educate, and connect audiences worldwide through film. A Women and Girls Lead web exclusive.

Sonia B. Castellanos: Sonia B. Castellanos is a real-life role model for young Latinas in central Texas. Just 1% of the Latinas in her community graduated high school when she started Con Mi MADRE. Last year, 97% of the program's seniors went on college. A Women and Girls Lead web exclusive.

Ambassador-at-large for Global Women's Issues, Melanne Verveer explains the payoff that comes from investing in women and girls. She is a proud supporter of Women and Girls Lead -- a Public Media initiative designed to focus, educate, and connect audiences worldwide through film. A Women and Girls Lead web exclusive.

With more national championships than any other African American college coach, University of Texas track coach Beverly Kearney is used to breaking barriers. After an accident left her paralyzed, she learned to walk again, empowering other women to live by her motto: "Failure has never been an option." A Women and Girls Lead web exclusive.

In the first year of a South Bronx public high school, visionary rookie principal Edward Tom leads teachers, students, and their parents in their biggest gamble yet.

Filmmaker Shukree Hassan Tilghman sets off on a cross-country campaign to end Black History Month. His insightful and humorous journey explores the complexity and contradictions of relegating an entire group's history to one month in a so-called "post-racial" America.