Scene from “Razing Liberty Square” by Katja Esson
(SAN FRANCISCO, CA) -- On December 12, 2023, INDEPENDENT LENS announced the launch of the new season of Indie Lens Pop-Up, the long-running community screening series that has brought people together for community-driven conversations around its thought-provoking documentaries. The screening series will feature both in-person and virtual events in more than 40 cities across the U.S.
Through its roster of four documentary projects this season, Indie Lens Pop-Up will ignite conversations on a range of topics impacting communities around the U.S., climate gentrification, and race and gender equity in mainstream media. This season’s topics also aim to expand perspectives through deeply personal stories, like what it means to live with Parkinson’s disease, and how the Deaf and hard of hearing community redefine what it means to listen. Each film will make its television debut on INDEPENDENT LENS, PBS’s award-winning documentary anthology series, and will be available to stream on the PBS App.
The 2023-2024 Indie Lens Pop-Up lineup includes the following documentaries Katja Esson’s “Razing Liberty Square”; “Breaking the News” from filmmakers Heather Courtney, Princess A. Hairston, Chelsea Hernandez, and Diane M Quon; “Matter of Mind: My Parkinson’s” from filmmakers Anna Moot-Levin and Laura Green; and “The Tuba Thieves” from filmmaker Alison O'Daniel.
“These Indie Lens Pop-Up Screenings are what makes INDEPENDENT LENS so unique—not only do we get to premiere these films on public media, but through this national screening series, we are able to inspire meaningful conversations on the ground in local communities across the U.S.,” said Beatriz Castillo, senior director of engagement operations at ITVS. “Through our screenings, we hope people from all facets of life find themselves in these films, and encourage everyone to share their stories and engage in thoughtful conversations in a safe, inclusive environment.”
Indie Lens Pop-Up events provide a space to watch and discuss timely issues explored in its award-winning documentaries. Hundreds of these events are hosted in-person and virtually by partners across the nation. Since its inception in 2005, more than 7,000 Indie Lens Pop-Up events have brought an estimated 420,000 participants together to discuss issues that impact local communities.
Jeremy Lentz, Executive Director of The Teaneck International Film Festival, "is proud to launch our fourth virtual season of Indie Lens Pop-Up in partnership with The Puffin Cultural Forum and NJ PBS. These films empower our community to come together and talk about topics that might be otherwise difficult to discuss with one another. With this continued partnership, we’re not only able to watch films from the award-winning INDEPENDENT LENS series, but we also create open, safe forums to talk about important issues affecting our neighborhoods today, hopefully providing useful resources for those who need them. We are also proud to work with our local NJ PBS affiliate on showcasing a new season of the NJ 21 short series which spotlights local stories from New Jersey's 21 diverse counties. These shorts will be paired with the INDEPENDENT LENS feature films. The screenings are free and virtual which means you can watch from the comfort of your home anywhere in the United States. You can sign up for the screenings through our website at TeaneckFilmFestival.org starting in January."
Below is more info on the Indie Lens Pop-Up 2024 lineup.
“Razing Liberty Square” by Katja Esson - Liberty City, Miami, is home to one of the oldest segregated public housing projects in the United States. Now with rising sea levels, the neighborhood’s higher ground has become something else: real estate gold. Screening virtually on January 24, 2024 at 7:30pm EST.
“Breaking the News” by Heather Courtney, Princess A. Hairston, Chelsea Hernandez, and Diane M Quon. Frustrated by the lack of representation in the media, a group of women and LGBTQ+ journalists launched The 19th*, a digital news startup whose work is guided by elevating the voices often left out of the American story. Screening virtually on February 28, 2024 at 7:30pm EST.
“Matter of Mind: My Parkinson’s” by Anna Moot-Levin and Laura Green. Three people—a political cartoonist, a mother-turned-boxing coach, and an optician—navigate their lives with resourcefulness and determination in the face of a degenerative illness, Parkinson’s disease. Screening virtually on March 27, 2024 at 7:30pm EST.
“The Tuba Thieves” by Alison O'Daniel. Between 2011 and 2013, tubas were stolen from high schools across Southern California. Against this backdrop, hard of hearing filmmaker Alison O'Daniel generates new sensitivity to sound and meaning in an unconventional documentary experience. Screening virtually on May 1, 2024 at 7:30pm EST.
Indie Lens Pop-Up is a community series that brings people together for film screenings and conversations. Featuring documentaries seen on PBS's INDEPENDENT LENS, Indie Lens Pop-Up draws local residents, leaders, and organizations to discuss what matters most.
INDEPENDENT LENS is an Emmy® Award-winning PBS documentary series. With founding executive producer Lois Vossen, the series has been honored with 10 Academy Award nominations and features documentaries united by the creative freedom, artistic achievement, and unflinching visions of independent filmmakers. Presented by ITVS, INDEPENDENT LENS is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Acton Family Giving, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Ford Foundation, Wyncote Foundation, and National Endowment for the Arts. Stream anytime on the PBS App.
