Highlights of 2009-10 season, presented by NPT and NPL, include “Young@Heart,” “The Horse Boy,” “Dirt: The Movie,” and “Copyright Criminals.”

For downloadable images, visit itvs.org/pressroom/photos/
For the program companion website, visit pbs.org/independentlens/

(NASHVILLE, Tennessee) – August 5, 2009 -- ITVS Community Cinema returns to Nashville Public Library this fall with nine new festival-favorite and groundbreaking documentaries. Presented in partnership with Nashville Public Television (NPT) and beginning on Saturday, September 12 with director Jim Granato’s D TOUR, the ITVS Community Cinema in Nashville series will include free screenings, receptions and panel discussions at the Library for nine films, one per month, through May 2010, all in advance of the films' broadcasts locally on NPT and PBS stations nationwide as part of the Independent Lens series.

All screenings are free and open to the public. The Main Library is located at 615 Church Street in downtown Nashville.

"Last year was such a great success, and also a learning experience, on how best to reach the community and get people excited about the documentaries,” said Allison Inman, ITVS Regional Outreach Coordinator for Nashville. “This year, we’re screening the full slate of nine films, which presents plenty of opportunities for meaningful partnerships and engaging panels. I love that our screenings are on weekends now and back at the downtown Library’s beautiful auditorium and gallery. We hope people will run their Saturday errands and then pop over to the library for a snack, a free movie and a casual discussion.

“I’m also extremely excited about the films this year, many of which I’ve seen at festivals, like YOUNG @ HEART and THE HORSE BOY, which was my favorite documentary at the last SXSW Festival. I think D TOUR and COPYRIGHT CRIMINALS will resonate with all the musicians in town, too. There’s a lot to offer this year, and a lot to talk about.”

ITVS Community Cinema is a free monthly screening series engaging communities through film and connecting people with local organizations and resources on important social issues in more than 50 cities across the country. Now including Nashville, Community Cinema presents preview screenings of Independent Lens episodes, each about one month prior to the national television broadcast of the film on PBS. Each screening will be prefaced by a reception and followed by a lively panel discussion or other presentation that showcases local community organizations, resources and opportunities to get involved. Last year, Community Cinema produced more than 400 events welcoming more than 30,000 people in 46 cities. 

The full 2009-2010 ITVS Community Cinema in Nashville schedule is as follows:

Saturday, September 12, 2009, 3 p.m. (2:30 reception)
D TOUR (Jim Granato)
Pat Spurgeon had big dreams to make it as an indie rock musician. Just as his career was about to take off, he suffered from an incredible setback¬¬ -- his kidney begins to fail and he’s faced with throwing his dreams away. Follow Pat on his emotional search for a living organ donor and the challenges of finding a viable match. Pat¹s choice to keep touring and working toward the band¹s goals is put to the test as he performs dialysis on the road daily and makes his health a top priority.

Sunday, October 18, 2009, 3 p.m. (2:30 reception)
COPYRIGHT CRIMINALS (Benjamin Franzen and Kembrew McLeod)
Can you own a sound? It depends who you ask. For more than thirty years, innovative hip-hop performers - from Public Enemy to De La Soul - have been re-using portions of previously recorded music in new and otherwise original compositions. But when record company lawyers got involved everything changed. What was once referred to as “borrowed melody” became a “copyright infringement.” Trace the rise of hip-hop form the urban streets of New York to its current status as a multibillion-dollar industry.

Sunday, November 15, 2009, 3 p.m. (2:30 reception)
BETWEEN THE FOLDS (Vanessa Gould)
Between the Folds chronicles the stories of ten fine artists and intrepid theoretical scientists who have abandoned careers and scoffed at hard-earned graduate degrees - all to forge unconventional lives as modern-day paperfolders.

Saturday, December 12, 2009, 3 p.m.  (2:30 reception)
YOUNG @ HEART (Stephen Walker)
Get ready to rock out with the most entertaining "golden oldies" you will ever meet, a fun-loving senior citizen's choir called Young@Heart. With a show only weeks ago, these seniors must learn a slate of new songs - ranging from James Brown to Coldplay. The chorus¹ tireless musical director leads the group through chaotic rehearsals, proving that hard rock can be hard work¬¬ especially when you¹re hard of hearing! Climaxing in a triumphant performance, their inspiring story celebrates the unbreakable bonds of friendship and the life-affirming power of music.

Saturday, January 23, 2010, 3 p.m. (2:30 reception)
GARBAGE DREAMS (MAI ISKANDER)
Welcome to the world’s largest garbage village located on the outskirts of Cairo, Egypt. The Zaballeen (Arabic for garbage people) recycle 80 percent of the trash they collect—far more than other recycling initiatives. But now a multi-national corporation threatens their livelihood. Follow three teenage boys born into the business who are forced to make choices that will impact the survival of their community.

Saturday, February 20, 2010, 3 p.m. (2:30 reception)
THE EYES OF ME (Keith Maitland)
Let’s face it - High school can be brutal. The struggle to fit in, prepare for college and live independently. Step into the hallways of a unique high school and follow four students grappling with these usual teenage concerns - all while being blind. Director Keith Maitland takes an extraordinary peek into their world where learning to cross an intersection, cook a meal or navigate an unfamiliar place can be a much more difficult than any calculus lesson.

Saturday, March 20, 2010, 3 p.m. (2:30 reception)
DIRT! THE MOVIE (Bill Benenson and Gene Rosow)
It’s under our feet. But what is it? And how did it get there? Inspired by William Bryant Logan¹s acclaimed book "Dirt: The Ecstatic Skin of the Earth," directors Bill Benenson and Gene Rosow take a critical look at our complex relationship with dirt and the solutions to restore this vital natural resource. Get the 'dirt¹ on how industrial farming, mining and urban development has led us toward cataclysmic droughts, starvation, floods and climate change

Saturday, April 24, 2010, 3 p.m. (2:30 reception)
THE HORSE BOY (Michel Orion Scott)
How far would you travel to heal someone you love? For one Texas couple it meant a spiritual journey halfway around the world to Mongolia. When their son Rowan was diagnosed with autism, they sought out the best treatments. But nothing worked - until the discovery of their son's profound love of horses and the magical effect on him. Part travel adventure, part shamanic quest, take a peek into how one family, even in the darkest moments, found a gateway to joy and wonder.

Saturday, May 22, 2010, 3 p.m. (2:30 reception)
A VILLAGE CALLED VERSAILLES (S. Leo Chiang)
Welcome to Versailles, home to the most ethnically dense Vietnamese population outside Vietnam. For over 30 years, its residents lived a quiet existence on the edge of New Orleans. But then came Hurricane Katrina, the immense piles of garbage and the shocking discovery of a toxic landfill planned just miles away. Watch their inspiring story as they fight back, turning a devastating disaster into a catalyst for change and a chance to build a better future.

About Nashville Public Television
Nashville Public Television is available free and over the air to nearly 2.2 million people throughout the Middle Tennessee and Southern Kentucky viewing area, and is watched by more than 600,000 households every week. NPT provides, through the power of traditional television and interactive telecommunications, high quality educational, cultural and civic experiences that address issues and concerns of the people of the Nashville region, and which thereby help improve the lives of those we serve.

About Nashville Public Library
Nashville's public library system consists of the downtown Main Library and 20 branch libraries with a collection of more than 1.6 million items including books, periodicals, DVDs, CDs and downloadable audiobooks. The library also offers more than 600 public-use computers, free art exhibits, educational programs and events for all ages such as marionette shows by Wishing Chair Productions enjoyed by nearly 6000 children each month. NPL also offers 24/7 reference assistance, online databases, interlibrary loan and special collections including the Metropolitan Archives, The Civil Rights Room and The Nashville Room offering local historical documents and ephemera, and online genealogical resources. Equal access is offered through the Talking Library audio reading service for the print disabled, and Library Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. For more information, call 615-862-5800 or visit www.library.nashville.org.

About Independent Lens
Independent Lens is an Emmy® Award winning weekly series airing on PBS. The acclaimed anthology series features documentaries and a limited number of fiction films united by the creative freedom, artistic achievement and unflinching visions of their independent producers. Independent Lens features unforgettable stories about unique individuals, communities and moments in history. Presented by ITVS, the series is supported by interactive companion websites and national publicity and community engagement campaigns. Independent Lens is jointly curated by ITVS and PBS and is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private corporation funded by the American people, with additional funding provided by PBS and the National Endowment for the Arts. The series producer is Lois Vossen. Further information about the series is available at www.pbs.org/independentlens.