This week, WETA presents inspiring documentaries about creative forces. Tonight we learn about the soldiers who created fake war props in The Ghost Army and on Friday we join ukulele artist Jake Shimabukuro on a nine month tour across the US.
Whenever we go to the movies, we know that much of what we see on the screen isn’t real. We imagine talented prop makers on film sets in Hollywood, working to create the imagined world of the next big blockbuster. But what if those props were used to alter history? The documentary The Ghost Army tells the true tale of American G.I.s who tricked the enemy with rubber tanks, sound effects, and carefully crafted illusions during the Second World War. The soldiers, many of whom were artists, carried out top-secret missions in France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany, working to save lives and alter the outcome of the War. Watch the trailer!
The Ghost Army airs Wednesday, May 21 at 8:00pm on WETA TV26 & HD.
In an era of talented social media users rising to fame, Jake Shimabukuro is the perfect poster child. After playing the ukulele since age four, Jake uploaded a video of himself performing George Garrison’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” on YouTube, which became a viral hit with over 11 million views. The documentary Jake Shimabukuro: Life on Four Strings follows Jake on a nine month tour throughout the US and Japan, featuring performances and intimate conversations with the artist. Join us Friday and get to know the big talent behind this small instruments. Watch the trailer!
Jake Shimabukuro: Life on Four Strings airs Friday, May 24 at 9:30pm on WETA TV26 & HD.
Inspiring tales of "the underdog" and film have always gone together like peanut butter and jelly andeven though those PB&Js might not taste as great as they did when you were 6, underdog films never get old. This Saturday, WETA presents two free movies about people at a disadvantage working hard to make a difference. First, we follow the big win of a small town basketball team in Hoosiers (1986) at 9:30pm. Next, learn about rape cover up of the U.S. military and its survivors in Independent Lens: The Invisible War.
The small town of Hickory, Indiana loves basketball, so the pressure is on when a new coach arrives to train the high school team. After failing to impress the community with his unusual style of coaching, Norman Dale hires Shooter, the alcoholic father of one of his players, as his assistant. With the addition of a star player, the team begins a winning streak that leads to the State Championship game. But can this band of misfits win against their rivals of South Bend? Find out Saturday at 9:30pm! Watch a preview!
Hoosiers (1986) airs Saturday, May 18th at 9:30pm on WETA TV26 & HD.
Washington D.C. is often seen as military central for the United States, where training, planning and honors take place on a daily basis. But has a cover up also been developing at our nation’s capital? In the new investigative documentary by Independent Lens, the veil is lifted from one of the biggest scandals within the U.S. military where, according to the Department of Defense, there were an estimated 22,800 violent sex crimes in 2011. The Invisible War presents personal accounts of survivors, like Kori Cioca, who was beaten and raped by her supervisor in the U.S. Coast Guard. For the few who do report abuse, a flawed judicial system awaits, leading to only 8 percent of military sexual assault cases prosecuted. Watch a preview!
Independent Lens: The Invisible Warairs Sunday, May 19th at 1:30am on WETA TV26 & HD.
This weekend on WETA, watch three movies right from your Washington, DC, Maryland, or Virginia home! Watch a blind love unravel into danger and fear with Alfred Hitchcock's classic film Suspicion. Then discover the struggle between love and infatuation in Independent Lens' Seeking Asian Female. And if you're still awake at midnight, watch POV'sIn the Matter of Cha Jung Hee as a Korean born woman delves into her past to find the person whose name she bears.
Cary Grant and Joan Fontaine deliver exuberant performances in Alfred Hitchcock’s classic thriller, Suspicion. This film tells the story of Lina McLaidlaw, a wealthy young woman, who falls in love with Johnnie Aysgarth. Swept off her feet by Johnnie’s charm, Lina disregard’s the disapproval of her father, General McLaidlaw, and soon runs away to get married. Unaware of troubles that are just around the corner, Lina finds out that her new husband has no money, no job and has a gambling problem. Johnnie insists that this will all change, but as Lina soon finds out, not everyone can keep promises. Following a series of bizarre events, a mysterious murder, and bit of paranoia, Lina becomes convinced that Johnnie might be plotting to kill her and make haste with her inheritance. Watch the trailer!
Tune in to WETA TV26 & HD Saturday at 9:30pm for Alfred Hitchcock’s, Suspicion.
For those of you who believe opposites attract, you’ll want to check out this documentary from Independent Lens. Seeking Asian Female follows the lives of two people who fall in love and decide to get married after meeting on the internet. Steven, a white Americanman from San Francisco, has always had a fascination with Chinese women. After divorcing twice, the struggle for Steven to find the Asian woman of his dreams seems to be merely impossible until he meets Sandy. Sandy, a determined 30 year old woman from China, immediately falls in love with Steven and flies out to San Francisco to marry him. But marriage isn’t all fun and games as the cross-cultured couple soon find out. Communicating through a translator, overcoming Steven’s obsession with Chinese women and adapting to life in a foreign country are just a few issues the couple must face in order to make their relationship work. But are Steven and Sandy willing to take these drastic measures for true love? Tune in to find out! Watch the trailer!
Independent Lens: Seeking Asian Female airs this Saturday at 11:00pm on WETA TV26 & HD.
In this unusual documentary, POV reveals the story of a Korean orphan who has her identity switched before she is taken in by an American family. After coming to the United States in 1966 at eight years old, she was told to keep her false identity a secret and never reveal it to anyone. Now, after more than 40 years, it is time to find the real Cha Jung Hee. In the Matter of Cha Jung Hee, filmmaker Deann Borshay Liem sets out in hopes of helping this mistaken orphan find Cha Jung Hee. But in a big territory like Korea, finding the woman whose life she has lived will not be an easy task. Watch the trailer!
Check out POV: In the Matter of Cha Jung Hee this Sunday at 12:00am on WETA TV26 & HD.
In the mood for a little history this week? Television host, Peter Sagal travels the country on his Harley Davidson in hopes of finding out as much as possible about the United States Constitution and how it functions in American society. From New York to Texas, Sagal uncovers everyday Constitution issues that are frequently topics of debates throughout the United States such as same-sex marriage, firearm regulations, and freedom of speech. Tune in Tuesdays at 9:00pm for the four part series,Constitution USA with Peter Sagal beginning tonight, May 7.Watch the trailer!
In part 1 of this 4 part series, Sagal hits the road to investigate the conflict between the law of the land and state law. Known for being one of the most radical features of the Constitution, Sagal takes an in-depth look at federalism and how it has changed the United States of America. Through a series of interviews with people around the country, we meet a Montana native who feels that he is being robbed of his constitutional rights due to firearms regulations. Next, we travel to Oakland where a man who legally owns a medical marijuana dispensary according to California law is also subject to the death penalty according to federal law. We also turn things around and check out the good that the central government does for this country by building dams, providing clean water and the development of interstate highways. Airs May 7 at 9:00pm.
In a changing day and age, Americans are taking more time to stop and think about one of the greatest contributions to this country, the Bill of Rights. In this one hour episode, Peter Sagal investigates the Bill of Rights and how it affects the United Sates today. In a country where people are extremely passionate about their rights and freedoms, new technology has people raising their hands. Has the evolution of cameras and internet challenged our basic right to privacy? And what other challenges will Americans face? Airs May 14 at 9:00pm.
It took a while but in 1868, equality became a constitutional right. In part three of this series, Sagal takes a look at the rights of the people when it comes be treated equal and how far we really have come. From equal protection to personal liberty, the Fourteenth Amendment deeply impacted the relationship between the states and the federal government. Sagal is on the road again where in Tyler, Texas, he meets a group of siblings who fought a law prohibiting children of illegal aliens from attending public school. Also, we meet two women in Berkley, California who bring their case all the way to the United States Supreme Court after they challenge the state of California for the right to marry one another. Airs May 21 at 9:00pm.
Can you believe there have only been 27 amendments in 225 years? Some might argue this is not enough but others would be happy to dispute the fact that these 27 are all the Constitution needs to be superior. Take a step back in time as Sagal uncovers the failure of the Equal Rights Amendment and how court decisions became the factor when it came to issues such as sexual discrimination. Did you know that after Iceland’s economy collapsed, a new constitution was created through the collaboration of leaders who became inspired by the United States Constitution? But why has our Constitution really lasted for as long as it has? Airs May 28 at 9:00pm.
Whether in our own backyard or across the plains of Africa, four-legged creatures have learned to co-exist with humans or migrate to safer pastures. In the new episodes of PBS’ Naturethis month, we will explore The Private Life of Deeron Wednesday the 8th and The Great Zebra Exodus on Wednesday the 15th.
The Washington, D.C. area is home to many Whitetailed deer, which enjoy eating our gardens, hopping into oncoming traffic, and slipping into the woods of our local parks. In the past century, the deer population has increased from less than a million to almost 30 million as of today. In an effort to document this ever increasing species, footage was acquired in unique ways throughout the country. In one segment, residents of Cayuga Heights, NY were given video equipment to document populations in their area, while in another segment; small cameras were strapped to the backs to wild deer. The footage acquired provides unprecedented insight into the lives of our furry neighbors. Watch the trailer!
Nature: The Private Life of Deer airs Wednesday, May 8 at 8:00pm on WETA TV26 & HD. Also Airs Thursday, May 9 at 2:00pm.
Traveling with family can be complicated, especially when it seems like everyone’s moving in a different direction. But can you imagine voyaging with 20,000 of your closest kin? Follow the story of one zebra family, a stallion, his three mares and their offspring, traveling with the herd in Southern Africa’s biggest animal migration. Taking place every year across the Kalahari’s Makgadikgadi Pans, this trek to grass and water tests the social bonds that hold zebra families together. Watch the trailer!
Nature: The Great Zebra Exodus airs Wednesday, May 15 at 8:00pm on WETA TV26 & HD. Also Airs Thursday, May 16 at 2:00pm.
We all feel desperate from time to time, it’s a versatile feeling that spans the globe as it spans our weekend schedule. This weekend on WETA, we share four movies with characters desperate for something: fame, success, life, and respect. The three documentaries run late into Sunday morning so if you haven’t done it yet, set your DVR to record from Saturday 9:30pm – Sunday 3:30am.
Baby Jane Hudson (Bette Davis) was a vaudeville star, but as an adult, she was overshadowed by her movie star sister, Blanche (Joan Crawford). One night in the 1930s, Blanche was permanently crippled in an accident blamed on Jane. Now in 1962, Jane and Blanche live together in their decaying Los Angeles mansion as Jane plots their showbiz comeback. Blanche desperately tries to get away from Jane but can she succeed to escape her tormenting sister who handicapped her as a young woman and continues to do so in their older age? Watch the trailer.
Watch What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962) on WETA TV26 and HD this Saturday at 9:30pm. Also airs Sunday at 11:30am.
When a new opera gets produced, lots of artists and craftspeople from various authorities share a dramatic and musical vision. Skill and cooperation on a grand scale are the only key to success. San Francisco Opera’s The Bonesetter’s Daughter, composed by Stewart Wallace with a libretto by novelist Amy Tan, brought together singers, designers and musicians from three continents. Many were learned in the Western operatic tradition, but for others, it was a first introduction to American opera. This documentary focuses on the excitement and challenges of collaboration. Watch the trailer.
Watch Journey of the Bonesetter’s Daughter on WETA TV26 and HD this Sunday at 12:00am. Be sure to set your DVR!
Marcos Hernandez came to the United States from Mexico, after a deadly border crossing through the Sonora Desert in southern Arizona. He is searching for his father, Francisco, also an undocumented border crosser, who disappeared in the Sonora Desert while entering the U.S. Marcos sends money from his home in Chicago to his mother in Mexico City every month so she can buy medicine for his brother, Gustavo, who needs a kidney transplant. The Undocumented is Marcos’s story—as well as the story of countless other migrants. Follow Marcos’s search with the efforts of humanitarians and Border Patrol agents who are fighting to prevent migrant deaths, the medical investigators and Mexican Consulate workers who are trying to identify dead border crossers, and Mexican families who are struggling to accept the loss of a loved one. Watch the trailer.
Watch Independent Lens: The Undocumented on WETA TV26 and HD this Sunday at 1:00am.
More than three decades ago, Vietnamese refugees began to settle in Versailles, a then-isolated community in eastern New Orleans. Although by the early 2000s the community had accomplished material successes, it remained divided between older immigrants and American-born youth. A Village Called Versailles is the story of this little-known community in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. When the storm devastated New Orleans in August 2005, Versailles residents rebuilt their neighborhood faster than most other damaged neighborhoods in the city, only to find themselves threatened by a new toxic landfill slated to open just two miles away. Forced out of Vietnam by the war 30 years ago, many residents felt their homes were being taken away from them once again. Watch the story of this community fighting to regain their safety and happiness in New Orleans. Watch the trailer.
Watch Independent Lens: A Village Called Versailles on WETA TV26 and HD this Sunday at 2:30am.
Pizza is an Italian tradition and an American staple. Everywhere you go in the United States, there’s pizza. Better yet, every one you meet has their own opinion of the best pizza pie known to man. Alongside many other honors, the Washington, DC area has a wide variety of pizza and a rich pizza history to boot. WETA TV26, the DC area PBS station, has a brand new local show to share: Pizza in Washington. It’s not just about pizza, it’s about this American staple in the Nation’s Capital.
Explore thirteen DC, Maryland, and Virginia favorite pizza spots with this new program. From pizza trucks like DC Slices, to the history of pizza in DC with Ledo’s, and the first Chicago deep-dish in DC at Armand’s Pizzeria, this half-hour documentary style show is sure to spark your interest and your hunger.
Grab the popcorn or set your DVRs, because the documentaries featured this Saturday night on WETA TV26 & HD are guaranteed to open your eyes to lands near and far. First we delve into American culture with POV to discover a female role model in comic books and the way modern food is produced. Next, we head overseas with Independent Lens to learn about a city filled with trash and the feuding land of Kashmir. Tune in to WETA TV26 & HD this Saturday for these inspirational movies beginning at 11:30pm.
Meet Wonder Woman, a Superheroine who has been featured in comic books since the 1940s. Learn about the history of super power and the inspiration she’s been for generations of women. Watch the trailer!
POV’s Food, Inc. investigates how mass production of livestock and genetically modified crops are putting independent farmers out of business. Be sure to tune in for this food-film if you believe in the saying, “you are what you eat”. Watch the trailer!
Cairo, the largest city in the Middle East and Africa, has no sanitation service and its trash piles up in outlying towns. Here we meet three teenage boys in Zaballeen, whose lives depend on collecting other people’s waste. Watch the trailer!
Project Kashmir was made by two filmmakers, one Hindu and one Muslim, who snuck their cameras into Kashmir. Join us for a unique look at the land plagued by religious tension and war for over 50 years. Watch the trailer!
Join WETA for Central Park Five, the latest production by Ken Burns, co-directed with his daughter Sarah Burns. In 1989, five black and Hispanic teenagers were wrongly convicted of raping a white woman jogging through Central Park at night. In 2002, after the five had served their sentences, a man named Mathias Reyes, who was already serving life in prison for an unrelated crime, confessed to the attack. The courts cleared the five’s records, yet the damage was already done, with injured reputations and years of their lives lost. This new documentary highlights the media frenzy and injustice against the accused by presenting a different side to the case that rocked New York City with its racial and social implications.
Spring is upon us in the Washington, D.C. area! As the weather warms up, we shelve our soups and casseroles for lighter, cooler options. This April on WETA, we're sharing the best of the best spring and summer foods with you: hot dogs, sandwiches, and ice cream. In addition to these favorite foods, WETA is proud to announce the premiere of our brand new local documentary, Pizza in Washington on May 7 at 8:00pm! Read on for more information about these delicious shows and watch the very first preview of Pizza in Washington!
It’s time to fire up the grills as warmer weather moves into the Washington, D.C. area and that means a run to the store for the all American classic; the hot dog. A Hot Dog Program explores the life of these sausages, from the way they’re made to their mass consumption in hot dog eating contests. Can’t decide which condiment is your favorite? Check out some popular pairings like mustard and sauerkraut or chili and cheese. Tune in for all things hot dog to kick off this year’s season of barbequing!
A Hot Dog Program airs Monday, April 8 at 9:00pm on WETA TV26 & HD.
One food most people can agree on is the sandwich; with so many variations, there’s always something for everyone. But would you try The Elvis? Peanut butter, banana and bacon? Or what about the St. Louis style sandwich made with pig ears and snouts? Check out the classic and some of the more unusual ingredients that find their way between two pieces of bread across the US, in Sandwiches That You Will Like.
Sandwiches That You Will Like airs Monday, April 15 at 9:00pm on WETA TV26 & HD.
changed rapidly in the past few decades and POV’s Food, Inc. investigates how mass production of livestock and genetically modified crops are putting independent farmers out of business. As power is transferred into the hands of powerful corporations, is this new style of farming healthy or sustainable? Find out in the documentary that has helped create a rood revolution.
POV: Food, Inc. airs Sunday, April 21 at 12:30am on WETA TV26 & HD.
cure is uncomplicated ice cream. But it’s not as simple as that- many years of hard work have gone into perfecting this comfort food. The Ice Cream Show takes viewers on a trip across the country in their hunt for the best scoops and we’ll meet manufactures and scientists who spend their lives dedicated to the frozen treat. Join us for this Ode to the Ice Cream, and be sure to have a pint of your favorite to enjoy during the show!
Ice Cream Show airs Monday, April 22 at 9:00pm on WETA TV26 & HD.
Next month WETA will premiere our local production Pizza in Washington, a brand new documentary about some favorite pizza places in the Washington, D.C. area. Filled with mouthwatering shots of fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and dough this program takes a look inside the pizzerias of our area. Check out the tease below for your first look at Pizza in Washington and be sure to join us for the premiere on May 7th at 8:00pm.
WETA's Pizza in Washington premieres Tuesday, May 7 at 8:00pm on WETA TV26 & HD.
een isn’t real. We imagine talented prop makers on film sets in Hollywood, working to create the imagined world of the next big blockbuster. But what if those props were used to alter history? The documentary The Ghost Army tells the true tale of American G.I.s who tricked the enemy with rubber tanks, sound effects, and carefully crafted illusions during the Second World War. The soldiers, many of whom were artists, carried out top-secret missions in France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany, working to save lives and alter the outcome of the War. 
style of coaching, Norman Dale hires Shooter, the alcoholic father of one of his players, as his assistant. With the addition of a star player, the team begins a winning streak that leads to the State Championship game. But can this band of misfits win against their rivals of South Bend? Find out Saturday at 9:30pm! 
our nation’s capital? In the new investigative documentary by Independent Lens, the veil is lifted from one of the biggest scandals within the U.S. military where, according to the Department of Defense, there were an estimated 22,800 violent sex crimes in 2011. The Invisible War presents personal accounts of survivors, like Kori Cioca, who was beaten and raped by her supervisor in the U.S. Coast Guard. For the few who do report abuse, a flawed judicial system awaits, leading to only 8 percent of military sexual assault cases prosecuted. 
man from San Francisco, has always had a fascination with Chinese women. After divorcing twice, the struggle for Steven to find the Asian woman of his dreams seems to be merely impossible until he meets Sandy. Sandy, a determined 30 year old woman from China, immediately falls in love with Steven and flies out to San Francisco to marry him. But marriage isn’t all fun and games as the cross-cultured couple soon find out. Communicating through a translator, overcoming Steven’s obsession with Chinese women and adapting to life in a foreign country are just a few issues the couple must face in order to make their relationship work. But are Steven and Sandy willing to take these drastic measures for true love? Tune in to find out! 
gardens, hopping into oncoming traffic, and slipping into the woods of our local parks. In the past century, the deer population has increased from less than a million to almost 30 million as of today. In an effort to document this ever increasing species, footage was acquired in unique ways throughout the country. In one segment, residents of Cayuga Heights, NY were given video equipment to document populations in their area, while in another segment; small cameras were strapped to the backs to wild deer. The footage acquired provides unprecedented insight into the lives of our furry neighbors. 
a different direction. But can you imagine voyaging with 20,000 of your closest kin? Follow the story of one zebra family, a stallion, his three mares and their offspring, traveling with the herd in Southern Africa’s biggest animal migration. Taking place every year across the Kalahari’s Makgadikgadi Pans, this trek to grass and water tests the social bonds that hold zebra families together. 
Blanche was permanently crippled in an accident blamed on Jane. Now in 1962, Jane and Blanche live together in their decaying Los Angeles mansion as Jane plots their showbiz comeback. Blanche desperately tries to get away from Jane but can she succeed to escape her tormenting sister who handicapped her as a young woman and continues to do so in their older age? 
an undocumented border crosser, who disappeared in the Sonora Desert while entering the U.S. Marcos sends money from his home in Chicago to his mother in Mexico City every month so she can buy medicine for his brother, Gustavo, who needs a kidney transplant. The Undocumented is Marcos’s story—as well as the story of countless other migrants. Follow Marcos’s search with the efforts of humanitarians and Border Patrol agents who are fighting to prevent migrant deaths, the medical investigators and Mexican Consulate workers who are trying to identify dead border crossers, and Mexican families who are struggling to accept the loss of a loved one. 
American-born youth. A Village Called Versailles is the story of this little-known community in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. When the storm devastated New Orleans in August 2005, Versailles residents rebuilt their neighborhood faster than most other damaged neighborhoods in the city, only to find themselves threatened by a new toxic landfill slated to open just two miles away. Forced out of Vietnam by the war 30 years ago, many residents felt their homes were being taken away from them once again. Watch the story of this community fighting to regain their safety and happiness in New Orleans. 
local show to share: Pizza in Washington. It’s not just about pizza, it’s about this American staple in the Nation’s Capital.
daughter Sarah Burns. In 1989, five black and Hispanic teenagers were wrongly convicted of raping a white woman jogging through Central Park at night. In 2002, after the five had served their sentences, a man named Mathias Reyes, who was already serving life in prison for an unrelated crime, confessed to the attack. The courts cleared the five’s records, yet the damage was already done, with injured reputations and years of their lives lost. This new documentary highlights the media frenzy and injustice against the accused by presenting a different side to the case that rocked New York City with its racial and social implications. 
changed rapidly in the past few decades and POV’s Food, Inc. investigates how mass production of livestock and genetically modified crops are putting independent farmers out of business. As power is transferred into the hands of powerful corporations, is this new style of farming healthy or sustainable? Find out in the documentary that has helped create a rood revolution. 
cure is uncomplicated ice cream. But it’s not as simple as that- many years of hard work have gone into perfecting this comfort food. The Ice Cream Show takes viewers on a trip across the country in their hunt for the best scoops and we’ll meet manufactures and scientists who spend their lives dedicated to the frozen treat. Join us for this Ode to the Ice Cream, and be sure to have a pint of your favorite to enjoy during the show!
Next month WETA will premiere our local production Pizza in Washington, a brand new documentary about some favorite pizza places in the Washington, D.C. area. Filled with mouthwatering shots of fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and dough this program takes a look inside the pizzerias of our area. Check out the tease below for your first look at Pizza in Washington and be sure to join us for the premiere on May 7th at 8:00pm.