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Independent Lens
Beyond Utopia
Season 25
Episode 7
They grew up believing their land was paradise. Now, they risk everything in escaping it. In an unforgettable documentary, follow families on a treacherous journey to defect from their homeland of North Korea, as the threat of severe punishment and possible execution looms over their passage, revealing a world many have never seen.
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48:03
The final episode of Dallas, 2019 poses the question: What does it mean to be alive?

54:56
A judge and a D.A. both aim to bring reform and empathy to a complex and disparate justice system.

50:23
Three diverse spirits with longstanding Texas roots struggle with their place in the world.

51:41
A graduating high school student, superintendent, and county sheriff all strive for a better future.

52:03
Episode 1 of Dallas, 2019 shows workers navigating a city in crisis after a tornado.

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1:25:41
A veteran uses hand-carved battlefield crosses to reconnect with families of fallen, fellow Marines.

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1:16:37
Unravel the complexities of the Electoral College through four 2020 presidential electors.

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25:43
With rural hospitals closing, meet the people trying to get help in healthcare deserts.
Local Story

The central mystery of this unconventional documentary is the nature of sound itself.

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1:24:52
NASA psychologists prepare astronauts for the extreme isolation of a Mars mission.

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1:18:04
For Native Alaskans living on a tiny Bering Sea island, if you don’t hunt, you die.

54:41
Three people navigate their lives with determination in the face of Parkinson’s disease.