In 2012, POV celebrates 25 years of broadcasting on PBS!

POV (Point of View), launched on PBS in 1988, is celebrating its 25th anniversary on-air, online and on the ground in communities across the United States. American television’s longest-running independent documentary series, POV is spearheading a wide array of activities featuring the brightest names in nonfiction film to complement its 2012-2013 season.

Leading arts, media and news organizations are joining with POV in 2012 and 2013 to present special events in honor of the series’ 25th anniversary:

  • December 12, 2011 – International Documentary Association’s Doc U on the Road, Brooklyn, NY: Kickoff reception for POV’s 25th Anniversary.
  • February 22, 2012 – Big Sky International Film Festival, Missoula, MT: 25th Anniversary toast at the Doc Shop Party.
  • February 17, 2012 – Firelight Media & POV Summit: Sustaining a Career as a Public Media Maker, Brooklyn, NY: Closing reception recognizing POV’s 25th Anniversary on PBS and the series’ commitment to diversity.
  • April 12-16, 2012 – Full Frame Documentary Film Festival: POV sponsorship of the Full Frame Press Lounge.
  • April 13-15, 2012 – National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP) Annual Conference, Los Angeles, CA: 25th Anniversary toast at the Gala Award reception.
  • April 25-May 5, 2012 – Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, Toronto, Canada: POV sponsorship of the Doc Mogul lunch and 25th Anniversary toast at the Hot Docs Forum Reception.
  • Tribeca Film Festival, New York, NY: Latin America Media Arts Fund jury and panel participation.
  • May 16, 2012 – PBS Annual Meeting, Denver, CO: 25th Anniversary reception, in collaboration with ITVS and Independent Lens.
  • June 12-16, 2012 – Sheffield Doc/Fest, Sheffield, England: 25th Anniversary reception.
  • June 18-24, 2012 – AFI-Discovery Channel Silverdocs Documentary Festival, Washington, DC: “POV’s 25th Anniversary: A Look Back” panel and 25th Anniversary reception hosted by PBS Distribution.
  • July 30, 2012 – The Doc Yard, Cambridge, MA: “POV’s 25th Anniversary Celebration Screening of ‘My Reincarnation'”
  • August 23, 2012 – Idaho Public Television, Ketchum, Idaho: “An Evening with POV and Simon Kilmurry”
  • September 28, 2012 – The Camden International Film Festival, Maine: A special reception hosted by the Points North Documentary Forum, in partnership with the Orchard, honoring POV.
  • June – November 2012 – The Jacob Burns Film Center, Pleasantville, NY: A year-long celebration of 25 years of POV featuring screenings of POV films.
  • October 17, 2012 – The New York Times Media Group, New York City: “THE LIGHT IN HER EYES: Women, Faith and Empowerment in Syria” panel.
  • October 18, 2012 – The Paley Center for Media, New York City: “Documenting Power: 25 Years of Political Films on POV” panel.
  • October 29 – November 4, 2012 – DOK Leipzig, Germany: “The Fragility of Democracy – 25 Years of POV in America” film program.
  • February 2013 – MoMA’s “Documentary Fortnight”: Details to be announced.

POV has formed a 25th anniversary advisory committee that includes:

  • Stephen Apkon, Founder and Executive Director, Jacob Burns Film Center (JBFC)
  • Sally Berger, Assistant Curator, Department of Film, The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
  • Heather Croall, Director, Sheffield International Documentary Festival (Doc/Fest)
  • Deirdre Haj, Executive Director, Full Frame Documentary Film Festival
  • Ryan Harrington, Director of Documentary Programming, Tribeca Film Institute
  • Pat Harrison, President and Chief Executive Officer, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB)
  • Dave Isay, Founder, StoryCorps
  • Robert Kenner, Director and Producer
  • Paula A. Kerger, President and Chief Executive Officer, PBS
  • Michael Lumpkin, Executive Director, International Documentary Association (IDA)
  • Bení Matias, Acting Executive Director, National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP)
  • Marty Markowitz, Brooklyn Borough President
  • Elizabeth Radshaw, Hot Docs Forum and Market Director, Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival
  • Tammy Robinson, Board Chair, POV
  • Tiffany Shlain, Founder, The Webby Awards; Co-founder, International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences
  • Ron Simon, Curator, The Paley Center for Media
  • Sky Sitney, Festival Director, Silverdocs
  • Pegi Vail, Associate Director, Center for Media, Culture and History, New York University
  • Marc Weiss, Founder of POV

25th Anniversary Media Sponsor:
WNYC: New York Public Radio

Published by

POV Staff
POV Staff
POV (a cinema term for "point of view") is television's longest-running showcase for independent non-fiction films. POV premieres 14-16 of the best, boldest and most innovative programs every year on PBS. Since 1988, POV has presented over 400 films to public television audiences across the country. POV films are known for their intimacy, their unforgettable storytelling and their timeliness, putting a human face on contemporary social issues.