Blog

The new Sandy Hook school (Robert Benson Photography, courtesy Svigals + Partners)
Beyond the Films
March, 31, 2017

Healing Places: Rebuilding After a Community Tragedy

Craig Phillips in Beyond the Films

"The only thing tragedy gives us is the opportunity to rebuild our life." -writer Paulo Coelho The film Newtown asks, "What remains after all is lost?" Some have said that it is much harder to rebuild oneself after experiencing an unconscionable…
Joey McGee walks down a road in the Mojave Desert.
Behind the Films
March, 17, 2017

Filmmakers Lou Pepe and Keith Fulton Tell Story of At-Risk Youth Getting Last Chance

Craig Phillips in Behind the Films

Filmmakers Lou Pepe and Keith Fulton have gone from the deserts of Spain (for their acclaimed film Lost in La Mancha about Terry Gilliam's ill-fated attempt to make a Don Quixote film) to the Mojave Desert in California, for their latest…
Black Rock School Principal Vonda Viland gives advice to student Lee, in The Bad Kids
Beyond the Films
March, 16, 2017

Principal Vonda Viland and 10 of the Most Unforgettable “Bad Kids”

Independent Lens in Beyond the Films

The following is by Vonda Viland, principal of Black Rock Continuation High School in Yucca Valley in California's Mojave Desert, and subject of the documentary The Bad Kids. Viland's tireless work to help at-risk teenagers find their way to graduation is reflected…
Lists
February, 13, 2017

History or Hate: America’s Controversial Monuments to White Supremacy

826chi in Lists

The thing about claiming territory and property is that it takes up space, and taking up space literally makes a huge statement; it becomes a platform for discussing who built something there, and why. So when black musician Daryl Davis…
A young woman smiles at a toddler riding a swing set in the desert.
August, 23, 2016

The Bad Kids

Independent Lens

Located in an isolated and impoverished Mojave Desert community, Black Rock Continuation High School is one of California’s alternative schools for at-risk students. Every student there has fallen so far behind that they have little hope of earning a diploma…
Oscar and his prize pupil Jose reunite to give an update on their lives since East of Salinas
Where Are They Now?
December, 26, 2015

A Letter from Jose Ansaldo and an Update from Oscar Ramos [UPDATED]

Craig Phillips in Where Are They Now?

UPDATE (3/26/21): We heard great news about East of Salinas star José Ansaldo that we just had to share. José got accepted to U.C. Berkeley! https://twitter.com/SupervisorAlejo/status/1375297535506481153?s=20 UPDATE (2/7/17): News courtesy of East of Salinas filmmaker Laura Pacheco, teacher Oscar Ramos was…
East of Salinas filmmakers Laura Pacheco and Jackie Mow (l-r), in front of a sea-themed mural.
Interviews
December, 25, 2015

Laura Pacheco and Jackie Mow Tell the Story of a Farmworker’s Studious Son

Craig Phillips in Interviews

Not just a filmmaker but a trained anthropologist, Laura Pacheco has traveled the world to tell the stories of people overcoming the odds of their rough circumstances, including for the Emmy Award-winning series Rx for Survival (PBS), where she followed a…
Young Latino boy sits at a classroom desk in the middle of a lettuce field.
October, 1, 2015

East of Salinas

Independent Lens

East of Salinas takes us to the heart of California’s “Steinbeck Country,” the Salinas Valley, to meet a bright boy and his dedicated teacher — both sons of migrant farm workers. With parents who are busy working long hours in…
Young African American man sits on a park bench in winter clothing.
Beyond the Films
April, 9, 2015

Homeless but Not Hopeless: Homeless Youth in America

Craig Phillips in Beyond the Films

Youth homelessness is on the rise in the United States, and the numbers aren't pretty. One in 30 kids (nearly 2.5 million children) of K-12 school age are now homeless in the US, according to a study by the National Center on…
Decaying buildings face an empty street in small town Rich Hill
Lists
January, 5, 2015

American Dreaming: Small Towns Through the Movies

Craig Phillips in Lists

Rich Hill is a new example of a realistic portrayal of a small American town, through the eyes of three young residents and their struggling families, but the fascination with (capital letters intended) Small Town America has been with us since…
Uncategorized
January, 25, 2013

Filmmaker Scott Thurman on the Texas Textbook Wars

826chi in Uncategorized

We sat down with filmmaker Scott Thurman to discuss what went on behind the scenes of his documentary, The Revisionaries, which chronicles the oft-rancorous battle over Texas textbooks. What impact do you hope the film will have? I hope people…
Former Texas Board of Education chair Don McLeroy
Uncategorized
January, 24, 2013

Revising The Revisionaries: The Texas Board of Ed Loses Power over Textbooks

826chi in Uncategorized

As recently as last year, the Texas State Board of Education had the power to rewrite history. The Revisionaries (airing Jan. 28 on Independent Lens) captures the scope of the board’s reign. In the documentary’s intro, ABC News reporter Dan…