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The Best Episodes of Independent Lens Season 9

Every episode of Independent Lens Season 9 ranked from best to worst. Discover the Best Episodes of Independent Lens Season 9!

The Best Episodes of Independent Lens Season 9

This acclaimed Emmy Award-winning anthology series features documentaries and a limited number of fiction films united by the creative freedom, artistic achievement and unflinching visions...
  1. Background image for Writ Writer
    7.6/10(7 votes)

    #1 - Writ Writer

    S9:E24

    Reveals a little-known battle of the Civil Rights Movement, led by an indigent, under-educated prisoner. Texas-born, Mexican American Fred Cruz came of age and found his life's calling in prison, where the sanctioned cruelty and brutality among inmates and guards moved him to fight the state prison system in the court of law.

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  2. Background image for Please Vote for Me
    7.3/10(10 votes)

    #2 - Please Vote for Me

    S9:E2

    This film follows eight-year-old students in an elementary school in China as they campaign for school monitor. This is the first election for a class leader to be held in a school in China. The three candidates campaign, holding debates and showing their intellectual and artistic skills, until one is voted the winner.

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  3. Background image for A Son's Sacrifice
    6.1/10(8 votes)

    #3 - A Son's Sacrifice

    S9:E11

    Dr. Jack Kessler, a prominent neurologist, shifts his diabetes research to stem cell research when his daughter is paralyzed from the waist down. The program brings the stem cell debate to the forefront and examines the constantly evolving interplay between the promise of new discoveries, the controversy of modern science and the courage of people living with devastating disease and injury.

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  4. Background image for Banished
    5.9/10(11 votes)

    #4 - Banished

    S9:E14

    No description available

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  5. Background image for Wordplay
    NaN/10(0 votes)

    #5 - Wordplay

    S9:E1

    Fifty million Americans do crossword puzzles each week, many in the venerable New York Times , where Will Shortz has been editor for 12 years. "Wordplay" presents an entertaining and informative look at Shortz' work and that of the puzzle constructors with whom he collaborates, as well as coverage of the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, an annual competition founded by Shortz, that profiles a number of intelligent and ingratiating contestants.

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  6. Background image for Storm of Emotions
    NaN/10(0 votes)

    #6 - Storm of Emotions

    S9:E3

    This is a film explores the Israeli disengagement from the Gaza Strip and efforts to achieve democracy amidst great social and political turmoil. Told from the perspective of the Israeli police force, this film explores how these individuals try to balance their emotions, beliefs and conscience while attempting to maintain civil order and a democratic outcome.

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  8. Background image for Red White Black & Blue
    NaN/10(0 votes)

    #7 - Red White Black & Blue

    S9:E4

    U.S. soldiers who fought on the island of Attu in Alaska during WWII journey back to the location.

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  9. Background image for Miss Navajo
    NaN/10(0 votes)

    #8 - Miss Navajo

    S9:E5

    No description available

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  10. Background image for The Creek Runs Red
    NaN/10(0 votes)

    #9 - The Creek Runs Red

    S9:E6

    No description available

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  11. Background image for The Paper
    NaN/10(0 votes)

    #10 - The Paper

    S9:E8

    Chronicles the pressure of a year in the life of Pennsylvania State University's Daily Collegian.

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  12. Background image for An Unreasonable Man
    NaN/10(0 votes)

    #11 - An Unreasonable Man

    S9:E9

    This program offers an unsparing look at Ralph Nader, one of the most important and controversial political figures of our time.

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  13. Background image for Today's Man
    NaN/10(0 votes)

    #12 - Today's Man

    S9:E10

    No description available

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  14. Background image for American Made
    NaN/10(0 votes)

    #13 - American Made

    S9:E12

    No description available

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  15. Background image for How Is Your Fish Today?
    NaN/10(0 votes)

    #14 - How Is Your Fish Today?

    S9:E13

    While working on his latest screenplay in Beijing, Hui Rao experiences writer's block and begins to live the life of the character he is trying to create.

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  16. Background image for Hard Road Home
    NaN/10(0 votes)

    #15 - Hard Road Home

    S9:E15

    Banished is a documentary film about four U.S. cities, which were part of many communities that violently forced African American families to flee in post-reconstruction America. In incidents which took place in Texas, Missouri, Georgia and Indiana between 1886 and 1923.

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  17. Background image for Iron Ladies of Liberia
    NaN/10(0 votes)

    #16 - Iron Ladies of Liberia

    S9:E16

    Follows two former felons in different stages of life "on the outside." / Examines the challenges faced by ex-convicts as they adjust to life after incarceration. The film focuses on the Exodus Transitional Community, a New York City-based organization (founded by Julio Medina).

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  18. Background image for Compañeras
    NaN/10(0 votes)

    #17 - Compañeras

    S9:E17

    With unprecedented access, this intimate documentary goes behind the scenes with Africa's first freelyelected female head of state, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, president of Liberia. The film explores the challenges facing the new president and the extraordinary women surrounding her as they develop and implement policy to rebuild their ravaged country and prevent a descent back into civil war.

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  19. Background image for Water Flowing Together
    NaN/10(0 votes)

    #18 - Water Flowing Together

    S9:E18

    No description available

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  20. Background image for Water Flowing Together
    NaN/10(0 votes)

    #19 - Water Flowing Together

    S9:E19

    Jock Soto, who is Navajo Indian and Puerto Rican as well as gay, retired in June 2005 from the New York City Ballet after a 24-year career; this story climaxes with his emotional retirement at age 40. This is not a film solely for a ballet audience; it is also an exploration of identity, heritage, transition and family.

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  21. Background image for Na Kamalei: The Men of Hula
    NaN/10(0 votes)

    #20 - Na Kamalei: The Men of Hula

    S9:E20

    King Corn is a feature documentary film released in October 2007 following college friends Ian Cheney and Curtis Ellis as they move to Greene, Iowa to grow and farm an acre of corn. In the process, Cheney and Ellis examine the role that the increasing production of corn has for American society. The film shows how the industrialization of corn has all but eliminated the family farm, which is being replaced by larger and larger industrial farms. This trend reflects a larger industrialization of the North American food system, whereby, as was outlined in the film, decisions relating to what crops are grown, and how they are grown, are based more on economic considerations than their ramifications on the environment or the population. This is demonstrated in the film by the production of high fructose corn syrup, an ingredient found in many cheap food products, such as fast food. The two return to the same small town that was coincidentally home to both of their great-grandfathers.

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  22. Background image for A Dream in Doubt
    NaN/10(0 votes)

    #21 - A Dream in Doubt

    S9:E21

    No description available

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  23. Background image for New Year Baby
    NaN/10(0 votes)

    #22 - New Year Baby

    S9:E22

    No description available

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  24. Background image for The Cool School
    NaN/10(0 votes)

    #23 - The Cool School

    S9:E23

    This film follows one woman's quest to uncover the secrets of how her family survived the Khmer Rouge genocide. Socheata Poeuv's family survived the Killing Fields, escaped across the border and became Americans. She searches for the truth about what her family escaped from and why her history has been buried in secrecy for so long.

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  25. Background image for Abduction: The Megumi Yokota Story
    NaN/10(0 votes)

    #24 - Abduction: The Megumi Yokota Story

    S9:E25

    No description available

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  26. Background image for Deep Water
    NaN/10(0 votes)

    #25 - Deep Water

    S9:E26

    The amazing and compelling true story of the fateful voyage of Donald Crowhurst, an amateur yachtsman who enters the most daring nautical challenge ever - the very first solo, non-stop, round-the-world boat race. Through re-enactments and interviews with family and friends, the viewer witnesses Crowhurst's maritime inexperience and eventually an ending that shocked a nation.

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Season 9 Ratings Summary

"Writ Writer" is the best rated episode of "Independent Lens" season 9. It scored 7.6/10 based on 7 votes. Directed by N/A and written by N/A, it aired on 6/3/2008. This episode is rated 0.3 points higher than the second-best, "Please Vote for Me".