Blog

April, 7, 2014

Brothers Hypnotic

Independent Lens

The eight young men who make up the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble are all sons of Phil Cohran, a legendary Chicago trumpeter who turned his back on commercial music to pursue astral jazz (with the “cosmic philosopher” of jazz, Sun Ra),…
UC Berkeley campus with the Campanile (Sather Tower) in the background.
January, 13, 2014

At Berkeley

Independent Lens

“[At Berkeley] is a state-of-the-nation masterwork, a vitally important piece of work, and should be seen by as many people as possible.” – Oliver Lyttleton, The Playlist Renowned documentarian Frederick Wiseman has long been considered the “most democratic of great…
Film History
January, 9, 2014

A Look Back at the Films of Frederick Wiseman

Craig Phillips in Film History

The television premiere of Frederick Wiseman's At Berkeley, his 42nd film, seemed an especially apt time to introduce viewers who may not be as familiar with the prolific documentarian's previous work. In a career that has spanned more than five…
December, 23, 2013

Jiro Dreams of Sushi

Independent Lens

Jiro Dreams of Sushi is the story of 85 year-old Jiro Ono, considered by many to be the world’s greatest sushi chef. He is the proprietor of Sukiyabashi Jiro, a 10-seat, sushi-only restaurant inauspiciously located in a Tokyo subway station.…
December, 16, 2013

Playwright: From Page to Stage

Independent Lens

Playwright: From Page to Stage is a cinema vérité documentary that takes an intimate look at the development of two new plays, showing how creative teams are assembled and collaborate, detailing everything from the intense rehearsal process to achieving one…
Lists
October, 2, 2013

Best Music Documentaries on Independent Lens and Beyond

Craig Phillips in Lists

In honor of both Don’t Stop Believin’: Everyman's Journey and the joyful Muscle Shoals, which will air on Independent Lens in April '14 [web site coming soon], we compiled a list of other music docs that IL has produced, and…
Headshot of Don’t Stop Believin’: Everyman's Journey filmmaker Ramona S. Diaz
Uncategorized
September, 30, 2013

Don’t Stop Believin’: The Filmmaker’s Journey

Craig Phillips in Uncategorized

Filmmaker Ramona S. Diaz has focused on the Philippines in her previous acclaimed work: Imelda portrayed deposed Philippines First Lady Imelda Marcos, a woman as famous for her humongous shoes collection as for her abuses of power; and powerful early…
Arnel Pineda sings on stage with rock band Journey.
September, 30, 2013

Don’t Stop Believin’: Everyman’s Journey

Independent Lens

Don’t Stop Believin’: Everyman’s Journey follows the real life rock ‘n’ roll fairy tale of Filipino singer Arnel Pineda, who was plucked from YouTube to become the frontman for the iconic American rock band Journey. In this Cinderella story for…
Rock band Journey with new lead singer Albert Pineda perform on stage
Test Your Knowledge
September, 26, 2013

Don’t Stop Achievin’: The Everyman’s Journey Quiz

Craig Phillips in Test Your Knowledge

Test your mettle as a rock fan in this quiz that is all about the iconic American rock band Journey, in tandem with the Independent Lens premiere of Don't Stop Believin': Everyman's Journey [encore presentation Monday, December 29 at 10 p.m.;…
April, 15, 2013

Wonder Women! The Untold Story of American Superheroines

Independent Lens

Wonder Women! The Untold Story of American Superheroines traces the fascinating birth, evolution, and legacy of Wonder Woman, and introduces audiences to a dynamic group of fictional and real-life superheroines fighting for positive role models for girls, both on screen…
February, 25, 2013

Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry

Independent Lens

For years, conceptual artist Ai Weiwei has been bringing worldwide attention to China’s authoritarian regime through his artwork and his deft use of social media. And every step of the way, China’s leaders have been trying to figure out how…
Filmmaker Alison Klayman with Ai Weiwei
Uncategorized
February, 21, 2013

Alison Klayman on Filming Ai Weiwei

826chi in Uncategorized

We sat down with filmmaker Alison Klayman to talk about the joys and challenges of filming China's most famous artist and dissident, Ai Weiwei. Her film, Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry. What impact do you hope this film will have? I…