TV & Film
JOHN MARSHALL, THE MAN WHO MADE THE SUPREME COURT
In this 145-minute documentary, journalist and historian Richard Brookhiser explores the life and work of John Marshall, the greatest judge in American history and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court for 34 years between 1801 and 1835. One of America’s most important founding fathers, protégé of George Washington, friend of John Adams, cousin and lifelong enemy of Thomas Jefferson, the legal precedents Marshall set still define America today.
STORY OF CHINA
6 one-hour programs, written & hosted by famed British television historian Michael Wood, create a chronological narrative and an adventurous exploration on the ground to show how China’s past provides a context for China’s present. With a strong emphasis on participation scenes, Michael Wood reveals the distinctive genius and character of China over the millennia. How will China’s past define its future as one of the world’s economic and military superpowers?
WEEKEND IN HAVANA
This one-hour documentary follows architectural enthusiast, raconteur and television host Geoffrey Baer as he takes his first trip to Havana, Cuba, to explore why this island nation still holds such fascination for Americans, even after a half-century embargo. On the streets of Havana, Geoffrey Baer meets dancers, musicians, historians and storytellers who lead him deeper into Cuban culture as they introduce him, and American audiences to their island nation.
AFTER FIRE
One in five new recruits to the U.S. armed forces is a woman, and women are the fastest growing group of veterans. With intimate access to the lives of three women veterans in Texas, After Fire is a 90-minute theatrical observational documentary that throws a spotlight on the human toll of problems like rape in the military, combat injuries and VA dysfunction, telling a universal story about strength in the aftermath of trauma.
SACRED JOURNEYS
6 one-hour programs, hosted by best-selling author Bruce Feiler, take American viewers on some of the most celebrated, challenging and spectacular religious pilgrimages in the world. Each hour follows modern pilgrims on their Journeys of Faith – on the Hajj to Mecca, in the footsteps of Moses and Jesus in the Israel, to the Kumbh Mela in India, Lourdes in France, Shikoku in Japan, and the Osun Osogbo Festival in Nigeria.
ARTS & THE MIND
This 2-hour PBS documentary special, hosted by Lisa Kudrow, looks at how humans are impacted by the arts. As the brain first grows and then slows down, the impact of music, dance and visual arts on cognitive abilities is explored. Weaving together stories from childhood and older age, this special travels across America to reveal compelling present-day examples, cutting edge science, and historical context to make clear how the arts are a vital part of our health.
BLUE ZONES
Filmed on the Greek Island of Ikaria during American explorer/educator Dan Buettner’s expedition to discover another ‘Blue Zone’, this special explores the Blue Zone phenomena. Blue Zones are areas of extraordinary longevity around the world that provide “lessons for living longer from the people who’ve lived the longest.” The special then travels with Dan Buettner to Albert Lea, Minnesota, to investigate how Blue Zones lessons can be applied to an American city.
MACBETH
A full theatrical performance and behind-the-scenes documentary of a unique stage production of Macbeth, produced for the Folger Theater in Washington DC by Teller (the magician from Penn & Teller) and Aaron Posner of the acclaimed Two River Theater Company in New Jersey. This special gives a close-up view of how Teller and Posner imbue their production with the language of American horror films and the magic illusions for which Teller is famous.
AMERICA AT A CROSSROADS
A major 21-hour public television event hosted by veteran newsman Robert MacNeil. This series explores the challenges confronting America in the post-9/11 world – including the war on terrorism; the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan; the experience of American troops serving abroad; the struggle for balance within the Muslim world; and global perspectives on America’s role overseas.
