Declaration of Independents! is a 9-day salute to indie filmmakers who asserted their creative freedom during a formative era of American independent cinema. Showcasing 20 films spanning the years 1979-89, from daring narratives to boundary-pushing documentaries, the series spotlights artists who re-shaped cinema, revealing America through an independent lens.

In the words of Sean Baker, indie filmmaker par excellence and member of IndieCollect’s Board of Directors: “These films weren’t just entertainment; they were acts of ‘reel resistance’ to the status quo. These are the films that helped shape and inspire today’s indie filmmakers, including myself.”

Declaration of Independents! kicks off on opening night, July 1, with Spike Lee presenting his film, SCHOOL DAZE. The post-screening dialogue with Lee will be conducted by Ashley Clark, Criterion Collection’s curatorial director and author of “The World of Black Film: A Journey Through Cinematic Blackness in 100 Films.”

Directors Charlie Ahearn (WILD STYLE), Lizzie Borden (BORN IN FLAMES), Aarin Burch (DREAMS OF PASSION), Bette Gordon (VARIETY), Paula de Koenigsberg & Lucy Winer (RATE IT X), Jim Klein (SEEING RED), and Fran Rubel Kuzui (TOKYO POP) will also present their films in person. EL SUPER, by the late Leon Ichaso, will be introduced by producer/co-writer Manuel Arce. CANE RIVER, by the late Horace Jenkins, will be introduced by his daughter, Dominique Jenkins.