Did you know that Earth Day was first officially observed throughout the United States in 1970? Thanks to Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin, more than 20 million Americans organized massive rallies and demonstrations for a healthier, sustainable environment, protesting against massive oil spills, industrial pollution, and the loss of wilderness areas in what would become […]

Now that it’s mid-April, we’re finally beginning to get a taste of spring here in New York. And that means that summer — and POV’s 21st season — are just around the corner. Today we’re taking a sneak peek at Election Day, which will have its broadcast premiere on Tuesday, July 1 at 10 PM […]

March is National Women’s History Month, so why not curl up with some films from the POV archives that celebrate amazing, courageous women from around the country? The women showcased in these three POV films — an African-American Congresswoman running for president; a Christian teenager from Lubbock, Texas; and an Asian-American architect — are very […]

Earlier this month, I attended the Film Your Issue launch party at the United Nations. I first heard about Film Your Issue (FYI) from our partners at the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. For the past five years we’ve worked with their American Democracy Project, to support them in accomplishing the goal of […]

Over on the Moyers Blog this week, there is a lively debate about what one book the next occupant of the White House should bring along when he or she moves in next January. The post generated over 2,400 suggestions — and it is worth a look. The recommendations make up an eclectic list of […]

With Election Day, filmmaker Katy Chevigny takes a look back at the events of November 2, 2004. We caught up with Chevigny last week to ask her some questions about her film and find out why she believes some steps still need to be taken to ensure a fair election on November 4, 2008. Election […]

With Critical Condition, Roger Weisberg takes an unflinching look at what it’s like to be sick and uninsured in America. He took a few minutes to answer some questions about his film and why health care and universal health insurance should be a critical issue during this election year. Critical Condition will have its broadcast […]

This year, there are so many sites that feature political coverage that it can be almost as overwhelming to wade through the coverage as it is to figure out who really stands for what. Here are a few sites that do a nice job of rounding up audio and video — from news, interviews with […]

Environmental issues are a hot topic this election year. David Nanasi caught up with POV alum Judith Helfand (A Healthy Baby Girl, POV 1997 and True Lives 2005, and The Uprising of ’34, POV 1995) and Daniel B. Gold to hear more about what they’ve been doing to support their latest film, Everything’s Cool. Both […]

Watching The Other Side of the Mirror: Bob Dylan Live at the Newport Folk Festival 1963-1965 POV Film ScreeningsNext week: Waging a Living in Burtonsville, Maryland. New Yorker: Naked Campaign ShortsIllustrator Steve Brodner draws the candidates. Reading A New Award for Nonfiction Filmmaker and blogger AJ Schnack announces the birth of a new award for […]

From now until New Year’s day, the POV Blog will be posting about great documentaries from the POV archives. Rent one at the local video store or via Netflix to watch with your friends and family during the holiday season. When Amadou Diallo died in a hail of police gunfire in his New York apartment […]

WATCHING Afropop TV A thrilling compilation of films on African life and culture. Sierra Leone’s Refugee All Stars released on DVD. Good stocking stuffer. An Unreasonable Man Doc about crusader Ralph Nader on PBS’s Independent Lens Tuesday night. Indie Lens Short Film FestivalEclectic mix of stories and storytelling 18 in ’08 Nonpartisan doc and movement […]

WATCHING Indie Lens Short Film Festival An eclectic mix of stories and storytelling with this batch of winning shorts. View. Vote. Download. 18 in ’08 Nonpartisan doc and movement targeting today’s 17- to 24-year-olds, many of whom will be voting in their first presidential election in 2008. Watch trailer. Frederick Wiseman Many of Wiseman’s documentaries […]

For this week’s media guide, we take a look at documentary photography. If a picture is worth a thousand words, then shouldn’t powerful, affecting photographs be able to change the world? Here are some places to start browsing for photographs which are both moving and provocative. Some of these photos showcase situations in the news, […]