ARLINGTON, VA October 23, 2008 - PBS celebrates Native American Heritage Month (November) with the broadcast premiere of "March Point" on INDEPENDENT LENS and an encore presentation of REMEMBERED EARTH: NEW MEXICO'S HIGH DESERT. Both programs explore the relationship of humans to the natural world and the importance of land and the environment in Native culture.
Looking ahead to April 2009, PBS will broadcast WE SHALL REMAIN, a landmark five-part miniseries that establishes Native history as an essential part of American history. The first phase of the companion Web site to the series (pbs.org/weshallremain) launched October 23, 2008.
Press Preview Copies of Programs Available Upon Request
INDEPENDENT LENS "March Point" (New)
Tuesday, November 18, 2008, 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET (check local listings)
"March Point" follows the journey of three troubled teens from the Swinomish Tribe who have been asked to make a film about the threat their people face from two local oil refineries. In the late 1950s, the refineries were built on March Point, an area that was once part of the Swinomish reservation by treaty. "March Point" is the story of three boys awakening to the destruction these refineries have wrought in their communities. Ambivalent environmental ambassadors at the onset, the boys grapple with their assignment through humor, sarcasm and a candid self-knowledge. As the filmmaking evolves, they begin to experience the need to understand and tell their stories and the power of this process to change their lives.
To learn more about the film and the issues, visit the companion website for "March Point" (pbs.org/marchpoint). Get detailed information about the film, watch preview clips, read an interview with the filmmakers and explore the subject in depth with links and resources. The site also features a Talkback section for viewers to share their ideas and opinions.
REMEMBERED EARTH: NEW MEXICO'S HIGH DESERT (Encore presentation)
Thursday, November 13 and Monday, November 17, 10:30-11:00 p.m. ET (check local listings)
New Mexico's high desert is a captivating land of hallowed mountains, red rock canyons and vast, sere plateaus. In REMEMBERED EARTH, filmmaker John Grabowska and Native-American author N. Scott Momaday present a vision of hope for humankind's relationship to the natural world by interpreting the myth, beauty and power of a scarred but sacred landscape of the American West. Can we come to see land itself as a community to which we belong? In HD where available.
The companion web site (pbs.org/rememberedearth) provides more information about the program, including an interview with the producer, a slideshow of New Mexico, a transcript of the film and a viewer feedback section.
WE SHALL REMAIN
Premieres April 2009
From PBS' acclaimed history series, AMERICAN EXPERIENCE, in association with Native American Public Television, comes WE SHALL REMAIN, a groundbreaking miniseries and provocative multimedia project. Five 90-minute documentaries spanning three hundred years tell the story of pivotal moments in U.S. history from the Native-American perspective.
The companion Web site (pbs.org/weshallremain) will provide video trailers of all five films, production bios, episode descriptions, testimonials from partners and a behind-the-scenes feature and will highlight the ReelNative project and key contemporary Native issues, languages and cultures. A series teacher's guide will provide suggestions for active learning and support the integration of Native history into social studies standards-based curricula. After broadcast, all five WE SHALL REMAIN films, nearly eight hours, will be streamed.
About PBS
PBS, with its 356 member stations, offers all Americans - from every walk of life - the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and online content. Each week, PBS reaches more than 65 million people and invites them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; hear diverse viewpoints; and take front row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS' broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry's most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. PBS' premier children's TV programming and Web site, pbskids.org, are parents' and teachers' most trusted partners in inspiring and nurturing curiosity and love of learning in children. More information about PBS is available at www.pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org Web sites on the Internet.
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CONTACT:
Cara White, 843-881-1480; cara.white@mac.com
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