In the News: The Latest on ITVS Programs

“ITVS is best known for its financing of documentaries, many of which appear on PBS’s Independent Lens series. The organization will present [FUTURESTATES -- ] a series of brief, fictional films that cast social issues into the future, in the hopes of drawing a younger audience not necessarily interested in public television.”
Read more >>

“Toss the tea leaves; we can read our future in [Dirt! The Movie] — and the outlook is grimy.”
Read more >>

“Filmmaker Laura Poitras traveled to Yemen searching for a person who was returning from the Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba… Her film, The Oath, tells Bahri’s story [Osama bin Laden’s former bodyguard] and how he now favors a pen instead of a gun. It often delves into his confused emotions — he pledged the al-Qaida oath but no longer fights.”
Read more >>

Vice President and Independent Lens series producer Lois Vossen discusses the upcoming broadcasts Lost Souls (Animas Perdidas), and Whatever It Takes.

Tags: al-Qaida, environment, fiction, Guantanamo, New York Times

The Oath Honored at the Sundance Film Festival

Director Laura Poitras and crew at the Sundance screening of The Oath.

The Sundance Film Festival, held annually in Park City, Utah, is one of the largest and most prominent festivals for independent filmmakers.

Thirty-four films were awarded prizes in 29 categories, honoring both veteran and first-time filmmakers from around the world. Taking home the Excellence in Cinematography Award for U.S. Documentary was The Oath, by Laura Poitras. The film will have its television premiere later this year on P.O.V. on PBS (check local listings).

Filmed in Yemen, The Oath is a family drama about Al Qaeda and Guantanamo Bay Prison. This documentary is the second in a trilogy about America post 9/11. The first film, My Country, My Country, documented the U.S. occupation of Iraq from the perspective of an Iraqi family. The third film will focus on domestic surveillance.

Get the full list of winners at Sundance >>

In the video below, Laura Poitras sits down and gives an in depth look at her film, which she hopes will help people gain a better understanding of Al Qaeda and Guantanamo.

Tags: Al Qaeda, Guantanamo, P.O.V., Sundance