LATINO PUBLIC BROADCASTING PRESENTS NEW SEASON OF
VOCES
SERIES FEATURES FILMS ABOUT CELIA CRUZ, TITO PUENTE AND MORE
AIRS SEPTEMBER 2009 ON WNET
FILMS ALSO AVAILABLE FOR ONLINE VIEWING AT WWW.VOCES.TV
(Los Angeles,
CA) Latino Public
Broadcasting (LPB) announced today that the new season of their signature series
VOCES, a showcase of outstanding
documentaries celebrating the rich diversity of Latino life, will be presented
on national public television beginning in September 2009, in conjunction with
Hispanic Heritage Month. Featuring
films about musical legends Tito Puente and Celia Cruz and documentaries about
subjects ranging from the Puerto Rican activist Antonia Pantoja to a unique
soccer league made up of former stars from Latin
America, VOCES is a
presentation of Latino Public Broadcasting and is distributed by American Public
Television. Luis
Ortiz, Managing Director of Latino Public Broadcasting, is Series Producer, and
Gabriela Gonzalez at LPB is Associate Producer. In addition to the public television
broadcast, the eight VOCES films
will be available for online viewing on their broadcast premiere dates on the VOCES website, www.voces.tv.
Acclaimed actor Edward James Olmos will introduce each week’s program. Says Olmos: “Our Latino culture is deeply woven into the fabric of American life -- one doesn’t exist without the other. These Latino stories presented in this new season of VOCES -- Mexican, Cuban, Puerto Rican, Chilean, and Peruvian stories -- are above all American stories and VOCES is the only series devoted to bringing these terrific films to a national audience.”
Patricia Boero, Executive Director of Latino Public Broadcasting, is the Curator and Executive Producer of the series. “We at LPB are delighted that VOCES will be airing its second season this fall. Our first season was a great hit with audiences and stations, and we think this season’s lineup is wonderful. Besides being great entertainment, VOCES is a reminder of the enormous influence that Latinos have had on every aspect of American life, from music to sports to education to public service... Our hope is to bring these stories to a wide audience, including Latinos, who will be proud to see their community’s achievements on screen.”
Screeners are available and the filmmakers and subjects are available for interviews. Complete information and downloadable images are available at www.voces.tv.
* * *
VOCES – 2009 Series Lineup on WNET
Sunday, September 13 at 10:30PM
Antonia Pantoja: ¡Presente! by Lillian Jimenez
Antonia Pantoja: ¡Presente! tells the story of educator/organizer Antonia Pantoja, founder of the New York-based advocacy organization, Aspira. A passionate, indomitable leader, Pantoja worked with Puerto Rican "immigrant-citizens" to fight against second-class citizenship and to secure a bilingual voice. Through passionate personal testimony, never-before-seen home movies, archival footage, and the work of visual artist Juan Sanchez, the feisty Antonia Pantoja guides us through the Puerto Rican community's struggles and triumphs.
Thursday, September 17, 2009 at 8PM
Celia the Queen by Joe Cardona
Celia the Queen is a loving look at the amazing life and legacy of a woman whose voice symbolized the soul of a nation and captured the hearts of fans worldwide. Erupting onto the Cuban music scene as the lead singer for La Sonora Matancera, Celia Cruz broke down barriers of racism and sexism. With the powerful weapon of her voice and the warm tolerance of her heart, Celia soon became all things to all people. The film shows the diversity of the people whose lives she touched, from stars like Quincy Jones, Andy Garcia, and Wyclef Jean to ordinary people all over the world who loved not only her music but her incredible spirit. A co-presentation with National Black Programming Consortium.
Sunday, September 20, 2009 at 10:30PM
Soy Andina by Mitch Teplitsky
Soy Andina tells the story of two women raised in different worlds: an immigrant folk dancer from the Andes, and a modern dancer from Queens, NY, who return to Peru to reconnect with their culture. After 15 years in New York, Nelida Silva returns to fulfill a lifelong dream and host the fiesta patronal — a celebration of dance, music, and rituals from Incan times. Meanwhile Cynthia Paniagua, a dancer raised in Queens, embarks on her own journey, determined to "quench a burning desire to know the real Peru, to unearth the mystery of the dances." Soy Andina is an exuberant cross-cultural road trip, yet its theme is universal: a yearning for roots and connection in turbulent times.
Sunday, September 20, 2009 at midnight
Dream Havana by Gary Marks
In August 1994, more than 30,000 Cubans attempted to leave the island by sea. Two writers, friends since adolescence, are faced with a choice: continue struggling with the hardships of the island or brave the open water on a homemade raft. Ernesto Santana chooses Cuba; Jorge Mota, chooses the sea. This is the story of their struggles, their successes and the friendship that binds them across the distance, from Chicago to Havana.
Thursday, September 24, 2009 at 8PM
Tito Puente: The King of Latin Music by George Rivera
Of all the musicians who have contributed to the popularity of Latin music, none is more recognized than the man known simply as “The King,” Tito Puente. His family, friends and colleagues all pay homage here: Bill Cosby, Marc Anthony, Armand Assante, Geraldo Rivera, Jimmy Smits, Paquito D’Rivera and many more. The life of this influential bandleader, percussionist and composer – and one of the most charismatic performers of all time – is recalled through archival footage and interviews as well as excerpts from one of his last concerts.
Saturday, October 17, 2009 at 1PM
The Golden Age by Phil Tuckett
The Golden Age documents a season in the life of the Golden Age League, a soccer league in Corona Park, Queens, New York. Not just any soccer league, the highly competitive Golden Age League is made up of middle-aged former World Cup players from mostly Central and South America. With muscles creaking, hairlines receding, and waistlines expanding, these incredibly skilled players compete at a level never before documented. During the week, these men are window washers, traders, and electricians -- but the weekend is theirs, and the passion for the game remains.
Voces -- Producer Bios
Joe Cardona, Director, Celia the Queen
Joe Cardona has directed 11 feature length documentaries, mostly dealing with issues of cultural identity and Cuban history, topics close to his heart as he was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, of Cuban parents. His films include Adios Patria, Café con Leche, The Flight of Pedro Pan, Jose Marti: Legacy of Freedom, Havana: Portrait of Yesteryear, Honey Girl, and White Elephant. Nine of his films have aired on PBS and other various outlets throughout Europe and Latin America. Cardona has also directed, produced and written two feature films, Water, Mud and Factories and Bro, which have traveled the world through film festivals.
Lillian Jimenez, Producer/Director, Antonia Pantoja: Presente!
For nearly 30 years, Lillian Jiménez has worked as a producer, media arts center manager, media activist, exhibitor, funder, and educator in a number of organizations, including Young Filmmakers Foundation (now known as Film Video Arts); Third World Newsreel: The Foundation for Independent Video and Film; The Film Fund; co-founder of The Paul Robeson Fund for Film, Video and Radio at the Funding Exchange; Media Network; and the National Latino Film and Video Festival of El Museo del Barrio. Her clients include Women Make Movies, Fresh Air Radio, The Foundation for Independent Video and Film, and Urban Bush Women. A co-founder of the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP), she was its first recipient of the Life Achievement Award for Activism. She currently serves on the board of the Funding Exchange, a national network of community funds dedicated to supporting social justice.
Gary Marks, Producer/Director, Dream Havana
In 1998, Gary Marks left his hometown Chicago and a thriving antique concern in order to rekindle his passion for music. Gary travelled to Havana, where he had the opportunity to study piano with some of Cuba's finest musicians. During the years he lived there he formed deep and lasting relationships. The desire to communicate his experiences and impressions of Cuba led to his entry into the world of documentary filmmaking. Dream Havana is Mr. Marks' first film, and his most challenging and rewarding experience to date.
George Rivera, Producer/Director, Tito Puente: The King of Latin Music
George
Rivera
grew up immersed in the salsa music and street life of Upper Manhattan. He has close to 25 years of experience in
network television, public broadcasting, and cable which has resulted in five
National Emmy Awards. George Rivera projects include Imaging America, an hour-long,
prime-time PBS newsmagazine series; Latino New York Live, an ongoing series
of concerts by Latin Jazz's greatest legends and rising stars; and NY Crossroads, an educational series
using the Empire State as a virtual classroom to explore sites of cultural and
historical significance. As the president of GRP,
Mr.
Rivera
has also served as Acting Director of Programming for News and Public Affairs at
PBS' flagship station in New
York, WNET.
Mitch Teplitsky, Producer/Director, Soy Andina
Mitch is a documentary producer and marketing consultant; Soy Andina is his first film. Back in the 70's, he used to annoy his sisters with a super-8 camera in suburban New Jersey. He ended up at the Wharton Business School and worked for companies including Viacom, Arbitron, MTV and the New York Times. Fortunately he got laid off, which forced him to remember what he used to really like to do — tell stories. He bought a movie camera and called the Film Society of Lincoln Center. He became the Film Society's first marketing director. On weekends, he headed to the Bronx to videotape his Grandma, or to Jersey for Peruvian parties with long-time friend Nelida. One day, Neli told Mitch she was returning to Peru for a festival. He bought a new camera and made Soy Andina.
Phil Tuckett, Producer/Director, The Golden Age
In
a 30 year career as a producer/director/writer/
About Latino Public Broadcasting
Latino Public Broadcasting supports the development, production, acquisition and distribution of non-commercial educational and cultural television that is representative of Latino people, or addresses issues of particular interest to Latino Americans. Over 100 hours of quality program content have been produced by LPB for dissemination to public broadcasting entities. LPB provides a voice to the diverse Latino community throughout the United States. LPB and VOCES receive support from the Corporation of Public Broadcasting as well as the Ford and MacArthur foundations. For more information, visit www.lpbp.org
About Patricia Boero, Executive Producer and Curator of VOCES; Executive Director of Latino Public Broadcasting
Patricia Boero was Director of the Sundance Institute's International Program, and managed media programs at the MacArthur Foundation, including funding for public radio and public television series. She also worked at the Rockefeller and Levi Strauss foundations. Boero directed Hispanics in Philanthropy's Transnational Program, and most recently, was Director for International Corporate Social Responsibility at the Starbucks Coffee Company. She studied film, arts and law at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, and directed documentaries for Film Australia and the public TV station SBS. She was a producer for TV Latina and correspondent for BBC Radio's World Service in Havana, and field producer for CNN in Latin America. Boero was a founding member of LPB's Board of Directors, 1998-2006.
About American Public Television
With more than 10,000 hours of programming in its library, American Public Television (APT) has been a prime source of programming for the nation’s public television stations for 48 years, distributing more than 300 new program titles per year. Known for its leadership in identifying innovative, worthwhile and viewer-friendly programming, APT has established a tradition of providing public television stations with program choices that strengthen and customize their schedules, such as Rick Steves' Europe, Worldfocus, Globe Trekker, Simply Ming, Sara's Weeknight Meals, America's Test Kitchen From Cook’s Illustrated, Doc Martin, Lidia's Family Table, Rosemary and Thyme, P. Allen Smith's Garden Home, The Big Comfy Couch, Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison, Smothered: The Censorship Struggles of the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, Monarchy With David Starkey, Spain...on the road Again, and other prominent documentaries, dramatic series, how-to programs, children’s series and classic movies. For more information about APT’s programs and services, visit APTonline.org.
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