“Grocery stores are a way to transport us,” says Chrissy Camba, a Chicago-based chef who explores stores like Chicago's Seafood City in the new PBS digital series The Grocery List Show.
Playlist Independent Lens
Independent Lens
A New Documentary Observes How Spectacle, Disinformation, and History Collide in an Election
Daniel HautzingerIn 2022, the son of a former dictator ran with the daughter of the controversial outgoing president to lead the Philippines. We spoke to the filmmaker of And So It Begins, which follows the election.
New Documentary Follows Father-Son Bike Trip from St. Louis to Chicago, Exploring Black Health Inequities Along the Journey
Meredith FrancisA new documentary follows a father and son as they embark on a health journey that involves an ambitious 350-mile bike ride from St. Louis to Chicago in just 4 days.
A New Documentary Digs into the Mental Health Struggles of Farmers
Daniel HautzingerIndependent Lens' Greener Pastures follows four Midwestern farmers as they face challenges outside their control that are inherent to their profession. "There’s so much of a stigma out there that you can’t have a bad day," says one.
'Home from School' Tells One Story of Indian Boarding Schools in Order to Heal
Daniel HautzingerThe new documentary Home from School tells the story of the Northern Arapaho's efforts to repatriate the remains of three children who died at an assimilationist boarding school more than a century ago. “This film talks about closing those cycles [of generational trauma]," says an associate producer.
Some of PBS's Best Documentaries, According to 'Esquire'
Daniel HautzingerEsquire recently pointed out that, while Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, and other streaming services have been making waves with documentaries over the past few years, PBS has been offering top-level documentaries for decades.
Addressing Mass Incarceration From Within the System
Daniel HautzingerHear from the filmmaker of the new Independent Lens series Philly D.A., which follows reformer Larry Krasner as he attempts to change the culture of the district attorney's office and reduce mass incarceration in the country's most incarcerated city with progressive policies.
Beyond the Silicon Solar Cell: The Exciting Promise of Solar Technologies
Daniel HautzingerResearchers at places like Northwestern University's Institute for Sustainability and Energy are working on creating liquid fuels using solar technology as well as developing more efficient, inexpensive, flexible solar cells.
The Funding Cliff Facing Illinois's Growing Solar Industry
Daniel HautzingerIllinois's solar industry has rapidly expanded in the past few years, but as governmental funding runs out and the COVID-19 pandemic lowers business, the future is looking uncertain. "Without immediate legislation, our company is going to look very, very different next year,” says the CEO of a solar installation company.
What Women Face When They Run for Local Office
Daniel HautzingerThe documentary Represent follows three women candidates in the Midwest as they run for local office, including a Korean American Republican running on Chicago's North Shore. "A woman called me a white nationalist," she says. "And I thought, 'Me?' "
PBS Programs Nominated for a 2019 Academy Award
Daniel HautzingerTwo of the five films nominated for Academy Awards this year in the Documentary category will soon air on PBS: Hale County This Morning, This Evening and Minding the Gap. Watch a trailer and interview with a director here.
'Won't You Be My Neighbor?' the Mister Rogers Documentary, Comes to PBS
Daniel HautzingerThe critically acclaimed film about Fred Rogers, which is the top-grossing biographical documentary of all time, is coming to WTTW in February.
From the Archive: Cesar Chavez
Daniel HautzingerBefore watching Independent Lens: Dolores, take a look back at this 1985 interview with Dolores Huerta's compatriot and fellow labor organizer Cesar Chavez, in which he discusses his activism, the decline of labor, and the difficulties facing the movement.
'Forever Pure:' The Nationalism of an Israeli Football Team
Daniel HautzingerForever Pure follows the story of Israel's most popular and controversial football team, the only club to never sign an Arab, when it signs two Muslim players from Chechnya. Filmmaker Maya Zinshtein discusses the documentary.
The Human Impact of Drone Warfare
Daniel HautzingerThe documentary National Bird shows the effect of drone warfare on the pilots operating the drones as well as the victims of strikes. "The impact of these military drones goes far beyond just killing a civilian," says the documentary's director Sonia Kennebeck.
