Blog
We always have something new in the works. Here's what you need to know.
Recent Posts
-
Deep Down: I’m A Coal Miner’s Avatar
November 18, 2010Next week on Independent Lens, we’re airing Deep Down, a film about the impact of mountaintop removal coal mining on a Kentucky community. As part of the outreach for this film, the filmmakers created a virtual mine in Second Life to personalize the experience for viewers and to maximize the educational reach of the film. Our own Jonathan Archer virtually…
-
From Low Budget to Gold Statuette
November 17, 2010Filmmaker Heather Ross recently picked up an Emmy for her film Girls on the Wall, which was a recipient of ITVS’s Open Call. Ross fills in the picture for BTB on the journey that led to the award. Six years ago, I moved to a faraway city and started shooting a documentary with the naïve idea that the rest of the pieces would fall into place. The film, Girls on the…
-
CNN Nominates a Hero from Independent Lens
November 17, 2010Filmmaker Andrew Levine, whose Emmy-nominated film The Day My God Died aired on Independent Lens in 2004, updates BTB on one of the subjects of his documentary. One of the primary subjects of my film The Day My God Died has been nominated as one of CNN’s Top Ten Heroes of 2010. Anuradha Koirla, founder of Maiti Nepal, is one of the foremost activists…
-
Letters from Washington: Lost Sparrow Director Examines Family History
November 16, 2010Filmmaker Chris Billing reflects on a screening of his film Lost Sparrow Monday night in Washington, D.C. The documentary premieres Tuesday night on Independent Lens at 10 PM (check local listings). Monday night’s screening was a stark reminder of the powerful and emotional response that Lost Sparrow can generate. The film screened to a full house…
-
Family, Secrets, and Tragedy Exhumed in Lost Sparrow
November 15, 2010Some questions can never be answered. Some answers are hard to take. Three decades ago, two Crow Indian brothers ran away from their adoptive home for reasons their family never quite understood. The next day, Bobby and Tyler Billing were found dead on the railroad tracks. Their sudden and mysterious deaths sent shock-waves through a tiny upstate New York…