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Independent Lens
When I Close My Eyes
His ability to paint portraits of Saddam Hussein likely saved his life. Oil painter Samir Khurshid reflects on his own tumultuous life growing up surrounded by death and chaos in war-torn Iraq. His densely layered work is heavily influenced by both the cross-cultural chaos of life as a refugee in the U.S. as well as his past, modern religion, ancient mythology, politics, and daily emotional life.
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41:44
An elusive photographer uses street art tactics to share his previously unknown work with the world.

1:23:38
See how the Philippines' tense race for president in 2022 became the nation's fight for its soul.

54:20
Three families are transformed when a loved one is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

1:24:21
How public libraries shaped a nation and remain a beloved sanctuary for Americans today.

1:22:07
The syncopated story of funk music, from its roots to the explosion of '70s urban funk and beyond.

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The coming-of-age story and rise of Ashley Chea, a Cambodian American basketball prodigy.

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Father and son bond on an ambitious 350-mile bike ride in this portrait of familial love.

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1:25:02
How the turbulent history of her architect father's iconic building reflects Brazil's own struggles.

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1:23:21
A filmmaker returns to her hometown on the U.S.-Mexico border to reflect on growing up fronterizo.

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1:24:40
How a small hunger strike against solitary confinement turned into a massive statewide protest.

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1:25:25
A champion grass dancer returns home after 13 years to reconnect with his Indigenous culture.

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1:16:04
The rise and fall of the NFT phenomenon that transformed the art world.