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Independent Lens

Indie Films Series / 8 Seasons

Authentic stories. Extraordinary people.

Watch Latest: S26 E13

1h 24m

Unrest - Trailer

30s

Jennifer Brea was a Harvard PhD student soon to be engaged when she was struck down by a mysterious fever that left her bedridden. When doctors told her it was "all in her head," her response was to film other sufferers from her bed, gradually deploying crews globally to document patients that medicine forgot. Unrest gives voice to the millions suffering from M.E. or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin - Trailer

30s

The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin examines the life and work of one of the world's most beloved storytellers, following his evolution from a conservative son of the Old South into a gay rights pioneer whose Tales of the City books have inspired millions to claim their own truth. The film includes Neil Gaiman, Laura Linney, Olympia Dukakis, Sir Ian McKellen, Amy Tan, and Maupin himself.

Supergirl - 80-Pound Recordbreaking Powerlifter - Clip

2m 15s

Go, go Supergirl! In this clip from the Independent Lens film Supergirl, we see how Naomi Kutin -- starting at age 8 -- surprised her parents with her ability to powerlift, despite her tiny 80-pound frame. At first people thought, "oh she's just some kid," but then she started breaking American records, beating women in their 30s and 40s, and was off to the races.

Supergirl

30s

Naomi Kutin seems a typical Orthodox Jewish preteen from New Jersey, until her extraordinary talent — breaking world powerlifting records — turns her into an international phenomenon and transforms her family. Supergirl follows Naomi as she fights to hold on to her title while navigating the perils of adolescence. Can she still be “Supergirl” if she can no longer break world records?

Shadow World - "Politicians Are Like Prostitutes" - Clip

1m 1s

In this excerpt from the Independent Lens film Shadow World, a memorably blunt and possibly shady European arms dealer named Riccardo Privitera explains how global politics is dictated by the whims of the arms industry. He likens politicians to sales reps...and prostitutes.

Shadow World - Trailer

30s

Shadow World reveals the shocking realities of the global arms trade, the only business that counts its profits in billions and its losses in human lives. Based on Andrew Feinstein's acclaimed book The Shadow World: Inside the Global Arms Trade, the film explores how governments, their militaries and intelligence agencies, defense contractors, arms dealers and agents are intertwined.

Chasing Trane - Coltrane Reawakens with New Blood - Clip

2m 58s

In this excerpt from the Independent Lens documentary Chasing Trane, legendary jazz saxophonist John Coltrane is brought to life—with his words spoken by Denzel Washington—in the period of artistic flourishing shortly after he'd become clean and sober. Here, Coltrane collaborates with the brilliant composer/pianist Thelonious Monk and then ventures out on his own as a jazz leader.

Chasing Trane - Trailer

30s

Set against the social, political and cultural landscape of the times, Chasing Trane brings saxophone great John Coltrane to life, as a man and an artist. The film is the definitive look at the boundary-shattering musician whose influence continues to this day.

Sentencing Children: Cyntoia's Story

7m 49s

16-year-old Cyntoia Brown, who was forced into a life of prostitution and feared for her safety, was arrested in 2004 for the murder of a 43-year-old man. She was tried in adult court and sentenced to life. Filmmaker Dan Birman followed her case from the Nashville trial to her incarceration at TN Prison for Women. Part of a 7-part series Sentencing Children, produced by Birman and Independent Lens

Sentencing Children: The Appeal

6m 49s

Concerned that a teenager had been convicted in an adult court and sentenced to life in prison, lawyers appealed Cyntoia Brown's murder conviction in 2011 to challenge the fairness of the trial. They argued in a Nashville court that Cyntoia was herself a victim. Part of a 7-part series Sentencing Children, produced by Dan Birman and Independent Lens.

Sentencing Children: The Bill

5m 36s

Under Tennessee law, a child can be tried in adult court, and if convicted of first-degree murder, can be sentenced to life in prison, or life with a possibility of parole after 51 years. State legislators think that law is too harsh and in 2016 a bipartisan team worked with lawyers and a judge to propose a new reform law.

Sentencing Children: The Interrogation Process

7m 45s

Oudon Panyanouvong, now 34, is serving a 40-year sentence for a crime he says he did not commit but pled guilty to because he didn't understand his rights as a teen during a police interrogation in 1998. A new law proposed in Tennessee would give juveniles with long sentences an opportunity for early release. Part of “Sentencing Children” series originally published by The Tennessean newspaper.

Sentencing Children: Reforming State Sentencing Laws

5m 14s

A group of Tennessee state legislators, lawyers and judges are trying to prepare a bill that would reform state sentencing laws for juveniles who have committed serious crimes, including Cyntoia Brown of the film Me Facing Life. Tennessee has some of the strictest juvenile sentencing laws in the country. Part of the “Sentencing Children” series originally published by The Tennessean newspaper.

Sentencing Children: Andrea Conte and Victim Advocacy

6m 30s

Former Tennessee first lady Andrea Conte, wife to former Gov. Phil Bredesen, was in 1988 kidnapped and assaulted by a man who would later go on to murder another woman. That experience led Conte to establish the victim advocacy organization You Have The Power. She hopes efforts to reform criminal sentencing rules for juvenile offenders take the experience of victims into account.

Sentencing Children: From Teenage Inmate to Teen Mentor

6m

At 17, Eric Alexander received two 25-year sentences for first-degree murder and aggravated robbery. He was released after serving 10 years and today serves as a mentor for teenagers, after studying developmental psychology. In this short, he talks about the hope that a proposed new juvenile justice reform law could give to those who were incarcerated as youths.

Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin - Armistead in 'Nam - Clip

1m 50s

In this excerpt from the Independent Lens film The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin, the writer who was once a conservative son of the Old South and would become a gay rights pioneer, reflects on how he came to serve in the Navy while not yet out of the closet. "I volunteered for Vietnam," Maupin says, "because I think I still had some manhood issues going on and I wanted to go to the war."

Real Boy - A Family Thanksgiving, Apart - Clip

2m 49s

In this excerpt from the Independent Lens film Real Boy, trans friends Bennett and Dylan prepare a Thanksgiving dinner together, while Bennett also tries to reach out to his family. He offers to come see them but finds his dad and sister and all of them are in their own ways still really uncomfortable about him.

Real Boy - Trailer

30s

A moving and intimate story of a family in transition, Real Boy follows the journey of trans teen Bennett as he navigates adolescence, sobriety, and the physical and emotional ramifications of his changing gender identity. Through the process, his mother Suzy makes her own transformation — travelling a difficult road toward accepting that the daughter she raised as Rachael is now her son Bennett.

Real Boy - Bennett’s Mom Comes to Support Him - Clip

3m 7s

In this excerpt from the Independent Lens film Real Boy, Bennett enters the hospital for his gender surgery and is both touched and surprised that his mom Suzy came to be with him for support, despite her own reservations. She then gets supportive advice from another mom whose son made the same transition, and who reassures Suzy that Bennett will find the right person for him.

Real Boy - Beard and a Haircut - Clip

1m 1s

In this excerpt from the Independent Lens film Real Boy, trans teenager Bennett talks to friend Joe Stevens, a trans folk singer, about trying to grow a beard and how to groom it when it finally does come. Bennett may just have "one chin hair at the moment" but Joe does give him a nifty new haircut as they talk about how they had "girls' haircuts" forced on them as kids.

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