Indie Lens Pop-Up, presented by ITVS, INDEPENDENT LENS, and WSIU with partner the Carbondale Public Library will host a screening of “Bike Vessel,” featuring a community discussion and free meal for the first 35 participants. “Bike Vessel” follows the heartwarming journey of a father and son who embark on a cycling journey to celebrate their health transformation after the father overcame three open-heart surgeries at the age of 70.
Twenty years after Donnie Seals Sr. went through a medical crisis, he makes a miraculous health recovery after discovering his love for bicycling. Approaching the age at which his father underwent surgery and facing similar health conditions, Director Eric D. Seals proposes an ambitious idea to his father: bike together from St. Louis to Chicago—350 miles in 4 days.
“Bike Vessel” serves as a meditation on kinship and connection, centered on a father who reclaims his life against all odds. It also examines health disparities among Black men, who statistically have the lowest life expectancy and highest death rate of all racial and ethnic groups.
WHAT: FREE preview screening of “Bike Vessel” followed by a community discussion and free meal for the first 35 participants
WHEN: Tuesday, February 18: 5pm to 7pm
WHERE: Carbondale Public Library, 405 W Main St, Carbondale, IL 62901
“Bike Vessel” will debut on February 24, 2025, at 9 p.m. on WSIU, PBS and the PBS app (check local listings).
For more information, visit Independent Lens.
About Indie Lens Pop-Up
Indie Lens Pop-Up is a community series that brings people together for film screenings and conversations. Featuring documentaries seen on PBS's INDEPENDENT LENS, Indie Lens Pop-Up draws local residents, leaders, and organizations to discuss what matters most. Learn more at pbs.org/indielenspopup.
About INDEPENDENT LENS INDEPENDENT LENS is an Emmy® Award-winning PBS documentary series. With founding executive producer Lois Vossen, the series has been honored with 10 Academy Award nominations and features documentaries united by the creative freedom, artistic achievement, and unflinching visions of independent filmmakers. Presented by ITVS, INDEPENDENT LENS is funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Acton Family Giving, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Ford Foundation, Park Foundation, Wyncote Foundation, and National Endowment for the Arts. Stream anytime on the PBS app. For more visit pbs.org/independentlens.
