May 13, 2024
The Mars Mission Tightrope: My Experiences as an Analog Astronaut
Independent Lens in Beyond the Films
By Heather Archuletta Like most Gen-X children born in the Apollo years, I grew up convinced the Moon was conquered, lunar colonies would become common, and a Mars landing would…...
May 06, 2024
How Science Fiction Confronts the Real Isolation of Space
Independent Lens in Beyond the Films
By Anthony Ha [Note: Some movie spoilers within.] If decades of science fiction have taught me one thing about being an astronaut, it’s that you have to watch out for…...
April 29, 2024
What Extreme Outer Space Isolation Can Teach Humans
Craig Phillips in Behind the Films
Filmmaker Ido Mizrahy was fascinated by space travel isolation from a young age, inspired and awed by science fiction films like 2001: A Space Odyssey, Alien, and the original Solaris.…...
April 15, 2024
“I never compare myself to anyone else—including myself a week ago”: Exercise Tips for People With Parkinson’s
Craig Phillips in Beyond the Films
By Veronica Garcia-Hayes with Craig Phillips San Franciscan Veronica Garcia-Hayes, featured in the documentary Matter of Mind: My Parkinson's, was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson's Disease (PD) when she was only…...
April 08, 2024
A Cartoonist Talks About How to Be an Artist with Parkinson’s
Craig Phillips in Beyond the Films
Cartoonist Peter Dunlap-Shohl was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease (PD) at the age of 43. In the documentary Matter of Mind: My Parkinson's, he remarks, "To lose the ability to draw…...
April 05, 2024
Giveaway: Win a Copy of the Book “My Degeneration: A Journey Through Parkinson’s”
Independent Lens in Contests
One of the stars of the documentary Matter of Mind: My Parkinson's is cartoonist Peter Dunlap-Stohl, who comes to grips with the “malicious whimsy” of this chronic, progressive, and disabling…...
April 01, 2024
Temporary Farm Workers by the Numbers: How Do They Make Ends Meet?
Independent Lens in Beyond the Films
By Ivonne Spinoza From working hard jobs for extremely low wages to being separated from their families for up to 10 months at a time, the sacrifices and challenges seem…...
March 25, 2024
“A Stoic Group”: Midwestern Farmers Talk Frankly About Mental Health
Craig Phillips in Beyond the Films
Filmmaker Samuel-Ali Mirpoorian was inspired to make Greener Pastures after hearing a report on NPR’s All Things Considered that farmers had the highest rate of suicide by any profession, by more…...
March 17, 2024
When the American Dream Becomes Survival: Short Doc Chronicles Rural Healthcare Crisis
Independent Lens in Behind the Films
By Nathan Duke Director Ramin Bahrani’s acclaimed films (like Man Push Cart, Chop Shop, and 99 Homes) focus on people struggling to survive due to economic challenges or failing to…...
February 23, 2024
Win an Independent Lens Tote Bag!
Independent Lens in Contests
Enter to win an Independent Lens tote bag, which dates back to 2019, when the sun shone brighter and the air felt safer! Our snazzy tote bags have a retro…...
February 22, 2024
QUIZ! What Kind of Journalist Would You Be?
Independent Lens in Test Your Knowledge
Would you like to consider a career in journalism? It's one of the most important fields in any functioning democracy. It's also a pretty challenging time to make a living…...
February 16, 2024
Often Underrepresented, Always Underestimated: Eight Groundbreaking Women in Journalism
Independent Lens in Beyond the Films
By Lennlee Keep The power of the press has been apparent since the first newspapers began circulating in the early 17th century. A story can create or destroy fortunes, change…...