POV executive director Simon KilmurryWe have just concluded a wonderful and exciting POV season, and now it’s time for films on Independent Lens, from our pals at ITVS.
Chicago 10They have announced a fascinating and wide-ranging line-up of films that will be coming to PBS over the next few months starting with the festival favorite Chicago 10 by Brett Morgen. There are too many films to list them all here, but there are some highlights that you should be sure to watch out for:

Wonders are Many: The Making of Doctor Atomic by Jon Else — a lyrical and intense film following the creation of the opera by John Adams and Peter Sellars. Who could have guessed there would be so much art in a nuclear bomb?

Milking the Rhino by David E. Simpson is the latest film from the folks at Kartemquin Films, whose track record in producing great documentaries is unmatched. From Hoop Dreams to In the Family, this shop keeps churning out great stories.

Milking the Rhino takes us to Africa, where communities are trying to get a piece of the eco-tourism pie.

Stranded: The Andes Plane Crash Survivors by Gonzalo Arijon and Marc Silvera is just beginning a theatrical run with a slightly different sub-title — Stranded: I’ve Come From a Plane that Crashed on the Mountains, and has won the jury prize at the International Documentary Festival in Amsterdam. As you can probably guess from the titles(s), the film tells the grueling and disturbing story of people trying to survive after a 1972 plane crash in the Andes.

Helvetica by Gary Hustwit — believe me, you’ll never look at a typeface the same way again.
There’s lots more, so check out their program guide on the Independent Lens website.

Published by

Simon Kilmurry
Simon served as chief operating officer of American Documentary for six years before assuming the role of executive director in Fall 2006. Since joining AmDoc in 1999, he has played a key role in helping to set strategic direction for the organization and implementing new initiatives, including the Diverse Voices Project, POV's co-production initiative in support of emerging filmmakers; POV's Borders, PBS' Webby Award-winning online series; and True Lives, a second-run series for independent documentaries on public television. In addition, he worked to secure pioneering partnerships with both Netflix and Docurama to expand the distribution opportunities for POV filmmakers and enhance branding for POV Previously, Simon was associate director at Teachers & Writers Collaborative, a nonprofit literary arts and education organization and publisher, where he is now a member of the board of directors. He has also served as a board member and treasurer for Elders Share the Arts and East Harlem Block Schools, and as an informal advisor and funding panel member for other organizations including the New York City Center for Arts Education, the Association for Independent Video and Filmmakers and New York State Council on the Arts. Simon attended the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, and Columbia University Business School's Institute for Not-for-Profit Management.