As ITVS’ marquee program, Independent Lens is our award-winning documentary series that fosters understanding, seeks to build empathy, and encourages a more united society. Watch and stream anytime on the PBS app.
Independent Lens documentaries bring us into the heart of the American experience, from the complexities of the Electoral College to the Indigenous Alaskan tradition of whale hunting to navigating the mental health needs of deployed NASA astronauts, and much more.
The Action Circle for Independent Lens is a community of philanthropists, partners and friends who safeguard the mission of Independent Lens through generous support–ensuring that independent documentary storytelling can thrive, foster understanding, ignite meaningful dialogue, and enrich our shared cultural landscape.
Major funding for the Action Circle for Independent Lens is provided by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Acton Family Giving, Ford Foundation, and Jonathan Logan Family Foundation, with additional support from the Artemis Rising Foundation, Wyncote Foundation, Park Foundation, Brandt Jackson Foundation, the deNovo Initiative, and RandomGood Foundation. Additional support is provided by: Nancy Blachman and David desJardins, Shari Rosenthal in memory and honor of Bertram, Elliott and Ronald Marx, The New York Community Trust Nola Safro Fund, and Jonathan Scott. Additional support has been provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Under the leadership of founding executive producer Lois Vossen, Independent Lens documentaries have been recognized with the industry’s most prestigious honors, including 10 Academy Award nominations and more than 70 Peabody, Emmy, and duPont-Columbia Award wins. Just a few of the series’ most culture-defining projects include:
The Invisible War
I Am Not Your Negro
The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution
A Lion in the House
The Weather Underground
Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room
Hale County This Morning, This Evening
How to Survive a Plague
Our documentaries honor individuals whose determination in the face of challenge reflects major issues impacting our nation and our world.Lois Vossen
Lois Vossen was inducted into the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) Silver Circle in recognition of 30 years of leadership in the documentary field, and honored as Nonprofit Leader of the Year by the Anthem Awards. Her stewardship includes serving on the Television Academy Board of Governors for five years. She’s a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) and has been a juror for DOC New Zealand, Toronto International Film Festival, Shanghai International Festival, SXSW, Palm Springs International Film Festival, and New Orleans Film Festival, among others. Before helming Independent Lens, Vossen was Associate Managing Director of the Sundance Film Festival and Sundance Labs.
Carrie Lozano, CEO & President, ITVS
Royd Chung, VP of Production, ITVS
