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from history of white people in america episode 6, the US capitol with a huge number of illustrations from world cultures of diverse peoples, none of them racial caricatures
Beyond the Films
December, 18, 2024

Behind the Animated, Musical Documentary About “Race Roulette”

Independent Lens in Beyond the Films

By Independent Lens Staff The sixth episode of the short docuseries History of White People in America is in the format of a catchy musical, but for a purpose: to tell the story of the arbitrary system of race in…
Illustration of a white man in colonial garb towering over miniature couples and families.
September, 30, 2024

The History of White People in America

Independent Lens

A series of musical animations, chronicling diverse experiences of how race has helped shape American culture. These shorts provide insight into the unique lived experiences of historical figures who played a role in the evolving definitions of identity.
Three teens from the Texas/Mexico border chat with a fourth teen on a horse.
June, 26, 2024

The In Between

Independent Lens

Following her brother's death, a filmmaker returns to Eagle Pass, the Texas bordertown where she grew up, to document the places that shaped their family. She finds a treasure trove of his own footage that brings him back to life,…
A man wears an American flag wrapped around his head and face with only his eyes showing. Two sets of hands surround him, carrying a hammer and wrench and American dollars, respectively.
June, 20, 2024

When I Close My Eyes

Independent Lens

His ability to paint portraits of Saddam Hussein likely saved his life. Oil painter Samir Khurshid reflects on his own tumultuous life growing up surrounded by death and chaos in war-torn Iraq. His densely layered work is heavily influenced by…
A man with medium-dark skin tone and a large black mustache poses with a shovel in a sparse forest. He wears a thick sweatshirt, hat, and knee-high boots.
Beyond the Films
April, 1, 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 never-ending for temporary workers in the U.S.  In the documentary…
The Roh family trek through the jungle at night.
Beyond the Films
January, 5, 2024

What Happens to Your Family When You Escape North Korea, and Other Harrowing Tales from Beyond Utopia

Craig Phillips in Beyond the Films

The harrowing, riveting documentary Beyond Utopia, captures what life is like for refugees after escaping North Korea. What happens to the family you left behind? How hard is it to adjust to life in a modern, alien land? Emmy Award-nominated…
A table of assorted South Asian dishes and spices, like curries, rice, and coriander.
Beyond the Films
November, 17, 2023

“Stinky Lunch Kids Strike Back”: South Asians Redefine What American Food Can Mean

Independent Lens in Beyond the Films

By Bedatri D. Choudhury Journalist and chef Pervaiz Shallwani’s mother moved from Pakistan to Toronto, where she ate her first hot dog in 1975. “She thought it was the grossest thing ever,” Shallwani said in a conversation. The “idea of…
Illustration of a transparent red star laid over a military camp. Three adults and two children are shown fleeing atop the red star.
November, 13, 2023

Beyond Utopia

Independent Lens

They grew up believing their land was paradise. Now, they risk everything in escaping it. In an unforgettable documentary, follow families on a treacherous journey to defect from their homeland of North Korea, as the threat of severe punishment and…
Filmmaker Rodrigo Reyes, a Mexican-American man with medium-light skin tone and glasses sits next to a man with medium skin tone and dark features at a table in an auditorium, recreating a courtroom scene.
Behind the Films
September, 18, 2023

From Crimmigration Court Interpreter to Lifelong Friends

Craig Phillips in Behind the Films

Mexican American filmmaker Rodrigo Reyes was and still is a court interpreter in rural California. It was in that capacity that he met then 19-year-old Mexican migrant Sansón Noé Andrade, who was sentenced to two life sentences without parole.  Reyes…
Short Film “Folk Frontera” Shows the Culture of Life on the Border
Behind the Films
September, 15, 2023

Short Film “Folk Frontera” Shows the Culture of Life on the Border

Independent Lens in Behind the Films

By Ivonne Spinoza Alejandra Vasquez and Sam Osborn’s Folk Frontera is a border-set tale, expertly portraying the beauty and heartbreak that comes with living on the U.S.-Mexico border. Connecting two strangers through their love of music, this short film highlights…
An illustration of a red hand holding a pine sapling. A photo of a family is superimposed on the arm above the hand.
September, 6, 2023

A Thousand Pines

Independent Lens

Over the course of a grueling eight months, a crew of Oaxacan guest workers plant trees throughout the United States. This intimate portrait shows how hard it is to balance the physical demands of reforestation and extreme isolation while staying…
Black and white iIllustration of a woman forensic scientist digging up a human skeleton.
July, 18, 2023

El Equipo

Independent Lens

Legendary U.S. anthropologist Dr. Clyde Snow sets out to train a new group of Latin American students in the use of forensic anthropology. Their goal: to investigate disappearances in Argentina during the “dirty war.” The group expands its horizons, traveling…