Among the most important films from the post-war American independent scene are Lionel Rogosin's On the Bowery and Come Back, Africa â?? two incredible documents of bygone eras that still resonate today. From the beginning, Rogosin's style as an independent filmmaker was straightforward and compassionate. His films, made "from the insideâ? showed the subjects he chose in their normal surroundings and allowed them to speak in their own words. By choosing ordinary people caught up in universal problems â?? homelessness, racial discrimination, war and peace, labor relations, and poverty â?? Rogosin made his point poignantly. The Oscar®-nominated On the Bowery is a masterpiece of the American blend of documentary/fiction.