Please register for this event below.

Librarians across the U.S. examine how book review policies are shaping their communities.

The Librarians directed by Kim A. Snyder

When Texas lawmakers seek to review a list of books, librarians find themselves on the frontlines of a national battle. Across the U.S., librarians face the impact of uniting against library collection standards that include restrictions on race-related and LGBTQIA+ content. Drawing on historical context, The Librarians explores the broader implications for education and public life.

After-screening Community Conversation
Kate Cough, editor of The Maine Monitor, will lead a conversation following the screening.
The list of participants will be published shortly.
 

About this series:
EPL is excited to be an official screening partner of Indie Lens Pop-up for the first time this year. This long-running community screening series celebrates its twentieth season, which has brought together nearly half a million people for conversations inspired by thought-provoking documentaries. This season, the screening series will feature both in-person and virtual events in more than 200 communities across nearly all 50 states! “What makes INDEPENDENT LENS truly special is the way Indie Lens Pop-Up brings these powerful documentaries right into local communities all across the country,” said Beatriz Castillo, senior director of engagement and impact operations at ITVS. 

Dates in the series:
March 21 at 2 PM: The Inquisitor
April 25 at 2 PM: The Librarians
May 23 at 2 PM: The Grocery List

Media Partners:
Thank you to our media partners: Maine Public, The Maine Monitor, WERU Community Radio, The Ellsworth American, and Downeast Digest.

This event was made possible by the generous support of ITVS.

 

About Indie Lens Pop-Up
For more than 20 years, the award-winning Indie Lens Pop-Up program has partnered with local organizations across the country to bring people together for film screenings and community-driven conversations. Inspired by the documentaries featured on PBS’ INDEPENDENT LENS, Indie Lens Pop-Up is a space for sharing ideas and making connections that shape our understanding of ourselves and the world around us. Since its inception in 2005, nearly half a million participants have come together at Indie Lens Pop-Up events to discuss issues that impact local communities. Learn more at pbs.org/indielenspopup.

Accessibility Requirements:
We are committed to providing inclusive experiences. Do you have specific accessibility requirements? The library is ADA accessible. Live captioning will be available at the event. Please let us know as soon as possible if you require ASL interpretation and we will do our best to accommodate you. Please reach out to us at communications@ellsworthlibrary.net to let us know or leave us a note when you register for the event below. 


About the Filmmakers

Kim A. Snyder (Director/Producer)

Director/producer Kim A. Snyder is the Peabody Award-winning filmmaker of Newtown (Sundance 2016, Independent Lens, Netflix), Us Kids (Sundance 2020 and 14 subsequent awards), Lessons from a School Shooting… (Tribeca 2018–Best Documentary Short, Netflix Original, Grierson Award nominee), and Welcome to Shelbyville (Independent Lens).

Janique L. Robillard (Producer)

As a documentary filmmaker and creative producer, Janique L. Robillard’s passion has always been elevating marginalized voices through documentary storytelling—evidenced in her short films 1000 Times and From There to Here, and work with acclaimed directors like Kim A. Snyder (Death by Numbers) and Jeremiah Zagar (The Fix).

Maria Cuomo Cole (Producer)

Peabody and Emmy Award-winning producer Maria Cuomo Cole’s credits include Death By Numbers (2024, Montclair – Best Short Doc), Us Kids (Sundance 2020), Lessons from A School Shooting… (Netflix), Newtown (Sundance 2016) and Oscar-shortlisted Living for 32 (2010). EP: The Hunting Ground (2015) and Oscar-nominated The Invisible War (2014).

Jana Edelbaum (Producer)

Emmy and DuPont Award-winning producer Jana Edelbaum, founder of Ideal Partners, recently released Beyond Utopia (Sundance Audience Award, Hulu). Previous work includes: House of Z, Strange Weather, and Idina Menzel: Which Way to the Stage? She is producing the Alvin Ailey feature with Barry Jenkins (Searchlight) and Swifties feature.