Independent Lens

Infobox Television
show_name = Independent Lens


caption =
genre = Documentary, Drama, Comedy
creator =
developer =
presenter = Terrence Howard
theme_music_composer =
country = USA
language =
num_seasons = 9
num_episodes = 173
list_episodes = List of Independent Lens films
executive_producer = Sally Jo Fifer
producer = Lois Vossen
runtime = 60-90 minutes
network = PBS
picture_format =
audio_format =
first_aired = August 9 1999
last_aired = Present
website = http://www.pbs.org/independentlens
production_website = http://www.itvs.org/
imdb_id = 486531
tv_com_id = 73541

Airing weekly on PBS through ITVS, the Emmy Award-winning series "Independent Lens" introduces new drama and documentary films made by independent filmmakers. "Independent Lens" films vary in length from four-minute comic shorts and half-hour experimental pieces to hour-long dramas and feature-length documentaries. Past seasons of "Independent Lens" have been presented by hosts Angela Bassett, Don Cheadle, Susan Sarandon, and Edie Falco. The current host is Terrence Howard.

The series began in 1999 and for three years aired 10 episodes each fall season. In 2002, PBS announced that in 2003 the series would relaunch and expand to 29 primetime episodes a year. [cite web | archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20020803102104/http://www.itvs.org/pressroom/pressRelease.htm?pressId=143 | title='Independent Lens' From ITVS Re-Launches; Expands to 29 Weeks | url=http://www.itvs.org/pressroom/pressRelease.htm?pressId=143 | archivedate=2002-08-03 | date=2002-07-26] With the relaunch of the series, now curated by ITVS, the season count had reset and so what would otherwise have been the fourth season was now being referred to as the first. [cite web | archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20030219214321/itvs.org/pressroom/pressRelease.htm?pressId=163 | title=Oscar-Nominated Actress To Do On-Air Introductions Of The First Season, Featuring 14 Diverse New Documentaries | url=http://www.itvs.org/pressroom/pressRelease.htm?pressId=163 | archivedate=2003-02-19 | date=2002-12-13] Despite this change, episodes were still being numbered with respect to the first three seasons.

"Independent Lens" has won four Emmy Awards. In 2007, "A Lion in the House" won for Exceptional Merit in Nonfiction Filmmaking, and "A Lion's Trail" won in 2006 for Outstanding Cultural and Artistic Programming. Two other films won for Best Documentary: "Be Good, Smile Pretty" in 2004, and ' in 2000. As well, two "Independent Lens" films garnered Academy Award nominations for Best Documentary: ' (2006) and "The Weather Underground" (2004).

Episode listing

The Independent Lens Online Shorts Festival

In 2006, the series launched the first Independent Lens Online ShortsFestival with what "Yahoo! Picks" called a "lineup of quirky, charming, andsometimes nervy films." Independent filmmakers were invited to submit shortfilms, ten minutes or less in length. Ten films were chosen, including twogrand-prize winners that premiered on the television series. All films arestreamed on the PBS website. Grand-prize winners: "Paris, 1951" and "Someday Flowers Bloom"
Jury prize: "Homeless Karaoke"
Online winners: "Afloat", "Chickens in the City", "Devil's Teeth", "La Fe'e Rouge", "Leonard & the Mountain", "The McCombie Way", and "The Preacher and the Poet"

ee also

*"P.O.V."
*"Wide Angle"

References

External links

* [http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/index.html Independent Lens | PBS Web site]
* [http://www.myspace.com/independentlens Independent Lens MySpace]
* [http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/insideindies/shortsfest/ Independent Lens – Online Shorts Festival]