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.

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.

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.

This weekend, get in touch with different cultures visually, musically, and locally. Travel to Maryland's Eastern shore for a home and garden tour, visit over 40 embassies for free, and enjoy Grammy award winning indigenous Mexican music by Lila Downs. 

If April showers bring May flowers, then it’s time to enjoy the beautiful outdoors with a daytrip! Established in 1666, the Lower Eastern Shore area has played a key role in Maryland history, and is currently home to properties from the 18th and 19th centuries. The Maryland House and Garden Pilgrimage is hosting a tour of eight historic and modern homes in Somerset and Worcester Counties on Saturday from 10am to 5pm. Highlights of the day include visits to “Beverly” in Pocomoke City and Watkins Point Farm outside of Crisfield. All proceeds from the tour will go back into the communities through The Lower Eastern Shore Heritage Council. 

Have you ever wanted to travel the world but you just don’t have the time or the money?  Well we have the solution to that problem!  In honor of international culture in Washington DC, Passport DC will host the Around the World Embassy Tour.  This onetime event allows visitors the chance to see over 40 embassies representing six continents throughout the world.  Patrons will also have the opportunity to see nine new embassies this year such as Barbados, Chile, Malaysia, Nicaragua and several others.  Participants will be treated to a variety of cultural and festive activities such as food tasting, dancing, musical performances and artwork while exploring these remarkable buildings.  So come on out for an experience that will truly broaden your cultural horizon.  

What better way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo than with fantastic music? This Sunday, the Hylton Performing Arts Center welcomes Lila Downs to the stage for a performance of indigenous Mexican music and her original compositions that infuse soul, jazz, blues, and African sounds.  Considered a “dazzling” and “stunning” artist, Downs has combined her passion for music and ancient culture to create powerful, edgy music with international flair as she explores topics of immigration, transformation, and social and political justice.  Downs has won numerous awards, such as the 2013 Grammy award for “Best Regional Mexican Album,” and has performed at major festivals and venues around the world, including Carnegie Hall!  A free pre-performance discussion for ticket holders will be held 45 minutes prior to the performance.  Be sure to grab your tickets for this sensational performance!     

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!

Read the full article to watch previews!

A Hot Dog Program

Sandwiches That You Will Like  

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!

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.

This week on WETA UK, start watching great British dramas from the very first episode: To The Manor Born, Call the Midwife and All Creatures Great and Small. We’re also premiering two new comedies on WETA UK both starring Rowan Atkinson: Blackadder and Mr. Bean. Along with our thrilling dramas (I, Claudius, Inspector Morse, New Tricks, Prime Suspect, Downton Abbey), wonderful comedies (Good Neighbors, Last of the Summer Wine, Are You Being Served?, My Hero, Coupling), and compelling documentaries (Life of Mammals) and so much more, WETA UK is DC, Maryland, and Virginia’s station for the very BEST in British television.

Watch WETA UK Here!

Via antenna: 26.2, Comcast: 265, Cox: 800, Verizon FiOS: 474, RCN: 39

Monday night enjoy a night of dramas as I, Claudius continues with Hail Who? beginning at 8:00pm. Then stay tuned for Foyle’s War at 9:00pm and Ashes to Ashes at 10:00pm.

Tuesday begin watching To the Manor Born from the very beginning! At 10:00am meet snobbish Lady Audrey fforbes-Hamilton, the beneficiary of Grantleigh Manor and recent widow. She can no longer afford to maintain the family's hold on the estate so she reluctantly sees it auctioned to Richard De Vere, a millionaire bachelor of Czechoslovakian extraction who runs a multinational grocery business. With his mother he wastes no time in moving into the Manor. Audrey is annoyed at her new position on the estate, and she is forced to move, with butler, to the Manor lodge. DeVere represents everything Audrey regards as bad taste. Their differences of background, breeding and behavior are at once infuriating and endearing. Catch this first episode of the series again this Friday at 12:30pm! DOWNLOAD THE WETA UK TO THE MANOR BORN SEASON 1 EPISODE GUIDE HERE!

Tuesday at 11:00am kick off season 15 of Last of the Summer Wine on WETA UK! The laughs never seem to end for this group of men, join in on the fun anytime! No need to watch from episode 1!

Tuesday at 8:00pm begin watching the period drama Call the Midwife! This moving and intimate tale of midwifery and family life in East London during the 1950s shares the work and lives of young nurse Jenny Lee and an Order of Nuns. The phenomenal people Jenny meets prove that their warmth, resilience and determination are at the heart of this world. However, with between 80 and 100 babies being born each month, their primary work is to help bring safe childbirth to women in the area and to look after their countless newborns. Start watching this series from the very first episode and continue season one with a new episode every Tuesday at 8:00pm.

Wednesday begin a new season of Good Neighbors at 9:00am. Season 4 of Good Neighbors, also known as The Good Life, starts as the Goods leave for a much-needed holiday in Mayfair and the Leadbetters take over their house and garden. But Tom and Barbara can't help thinking of all the things that might go wrong. Watch season 4 episode 1 again this Friday at 2:00pm. DOWNLOAD THE WETA UK GOOD NEIGHBORS SEASON 4 EPISODE GUIDE HERE!

Wednesday at 8:00pm Inspector Morse is on to a new case, Dead on Time. A respected, dying Oxford don, husband of Morse's former fiancée, apparently shoots himself, but his doctor asserts that he was not capable of firing a gun. Can Morse figure this one out without his personal life interfearing? Watch part one this week and return next Wednesday for part 2.

Thursday afternoon at 2:00pm, tune in for the encore presentation of season 1, All Creatures Great and Small. In 1937, a young, newly-qualified surgeon arrives in the village of Darrowby to take up his first job in the established veterinary practice of Sigfried and Tristan Farnon. However, in rural Yorkshire with few medicines available, the treatment of sick animals still seems to be rooted in the Dark Ages. Along with the residents’ inherent suspicion of strangers, young vet James Herriot faces problems in the early years of his career. This is the perfect time to begin watching the classic series All Creatures Great and Small! DOWNLOAD THE WETA UK ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL SEASON 1 EPISODE GUIDE HERE!

Thursday at 8:00pm take a journey into the lives of animals with David Attenborough’s Life of Mammals: Food for Thought. In this conclusion of his documentary series, learn of the similarities and differences between humans and other mammals through the things we eat. Encounter chimps hunting for meat like humans, visit an ancient mud city in Mali, and consider the size and capacity of both ape and human brains.

Thursday late night at 11:00pm, be sure to tune in for the launch of Are You Being Served? season 8! Are our favorite department store staff members being replaced? Watch Thursday night to find out!

Friday afternoon watch the launch of season 6 My Hero at 3:30pm. Thermoman, alias George Sunday is a native of the planet Ultron but resident on Earth. He has become skillful at juggling many jobs: superhero, shop owner, and father, but when he loses his body in a card game, leaving nothing but a tea bag (his soul), it's time for a complete makeover. For his kids, it's as if nothing has changed, but for his wife Janet it's a very different story.

Friday at 10:00pm watch the first episode of season 4 Coupling! There's a new guy on the scene, a baby on the way, commitment in the air, and love on the horizon. Patrick and Sally have finally admitted their true feelings for each other, while Steve and Susan are most definitely pregnant. And there's this guy called Oliver who has his eye on Jane. Could the lifetime-losers-in-love get it together? The best part about this series is you don’t have to watch from season 1! Jump in anytime and the beginning of season 4 is a perfect spot. DOWNLOAD THE WETA UK COUPLING SEASON 4 EPISODE GUIDE HERE!

Saturday at noon catch up with New Tricks as we repeat last week’s season 4 episode 1! They may have handed in their badges years ago, but Lane, Standing, and Halford are back, still working at the London Metropolitan Police. In season 4, the team heads to the big top to investigate the murder of a circus owner and ringmaster. They also look into the case of a rich old lady who loved her cats more than her relatives, leaving the cats all her money in her will. Be sure to tune into these strange cases this weekend!

Saturday continue the drama with Prime Suspect season 6 episode 1 at 7:00pm. The Last Witness finds Tennison, high-ranking Detective Superintendent at the London Metropolitan Police, overseeing dozens of murder investigations. She can't resist taking a hands-on role investigating the brutal torture and murder of a young Bosnian refugee. When her prime suspect turns out to be a "minor" war criminal given a new life in the UK after identifying higher profile war criminals, Tennison's quest for justice becomes increasingly complicated and as the case threatens to bring an early end to her career, Tennison faces the stark realization that she has little else left in her life, and everything to fight for.

Saturday wrap up The WETA UK Event: Downton Abbey series 2 at 8:00pm. This final two hour episode will have you up to date on all things Downton until the new season premieres in the DC area on WETA TV26 and HD in January!

Sunday catch the first episode of Red Dwarf season 8 at 3:00pm!  DOWNLOAD THE WETA UK RED DWARF SEASON 8 EPISODE GUIDE HERE!

Sunday get excited for the premiere of TWO brand new British comedies, both starring Rowan Atkinson! At 9:00pm tune in for the premiere of Blackadder: The Black Adder. Throughout the ages, men of flair, faculty, and outstanding courage have contributed to England's glorious heritage. Others, like the weeping worm Edmund, Duke of Edinburgh (alias The Black Adder), the bitter and twisted son of a medieval king, have emerged from the dust of dodgy documents to claim their wrongful position in history. Each season of this program is set in different significant periods and places in British history and features another descendent of the Blackadder family, all played by Atkinson. This first season Blackadder is set in 1485 at the end of the British Middle Ages. DOWNLOAD THE WETA UK BLACKADDER SEASON 1 EPISODE GUIDE HERE!

Sunday at 9:30pm meet Mr. Bean, a childish, self-centered buffoon who brings various unusual schemes to everyday tasks. Signature of this show, Mr. Bean rarely speaks and when he does, it is generally only a few mumbled words which are in a comically low-pitched voice. This unique form of comedy and true British classic isn’t one to miss! DOWNLOAD THE WETA UK MR. BEAN SEASON 1 EPISODE GUIDE HERE!

Every Saturday, WETA hosts the Fall Movie Festival where we compile exciting, free, and commercial-free movies for you to enjoy in your Maryland, Virginia, and DC homes. Watch these compelling films and documentaries this Saturday November 3!

Action

When words fail, actions speak…and in many cases, the latter can be more attention-grabbing and successful than any combination of words, even from the most eloquent of mouths. Sometimes action is unexpected and though we are not prepared for it, our instincts kick in and we handle each situation accordingly. Other times, it knocks us down repeatedly and we must try again and again, never giving up. Action usually works and though it’s risky, when it pays off we cannot help but to revel in the chance we took.  This Saturday night on WETA TV26 and HD, see firsthand examples of taking action in a perfect blend of films. 

Taking physical action

Sometimes we feel stuck and an unexpected opportunity for action presents itself. This Saturday, Rocky, a struggling club boxer in Philadelphia supplements his passion and dream of becoming a big-time fighter by working as a debt collector. His talent is often doubted but former boxing trainer Mickey firmly believes Rocky could have succeeded had he worked harder. That knock at the invisible door arrives when the current world’s heavyweight boxing champion, Apollo Creed, proposes the idea of providing a small-time and unknown boxer with the shot at his envied and prestigious title. Upon scoping out Philadelphia’s boxers, Apollo selects Rocky.  Hopes, dreams, and words soon turn into hard work, sweat, blood, tears and action as Rocky prepares for the match of a lifetime. Watch Rocky (1976) Saturday November 3 at 9:30pm on WETA TV26 or WETA HD. 

Rocky will also air on WETA TV26 and WETA HD on Sunday November 4 at 11:30am.

Long-awaited action

Protecting the planet is a defining feature of the Native American culture. So it should come as no surprise that when faced with the environmentally-harmful consequences of a practice benefiting the pockets of wealthy corporations, Arizona Native American tribes directly affected swiftly took action. The story serving as the inspiration of Power Paths begins in the 1960s when two coal mines opened on the Navajo and Hopi reservations in Arizona. The mines produced enough coal to supply the insatiable energy demands of Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles…but at a significant cost. Over the decades following the opening of the mines, the environment took a detrimental and irreversible hit as did local Native American tribes. The Southwestern skies were polluted, aquifers were drained, and sacred Native American land was scarred.  Not to mention, Native Americans living on the reservations had no running water and no access to basic electricity. The health of the Navajo nation’s people suffered also, and cases of cancers were common.  Independent Lens: Power Paths follows a tribal coalition’s modern day fight to alter their economies for the better by swapping coal mines and power plants with renewable energy technologies. Success in making the switch would preserve and protect their land, honor their culture, provide their reservation’s homes with basic electricity and create necessary jobs in their own community. Power Paths serves as an example of the entire planet’s current plight; finding alternatives to fossil fuels and going green. It may have taken decades but when action is finally taken, will it be all in vain or for the good of future generations? Watch Power Paths, November 3 at 11:30pm on WETA TV26 or WETA HD and see for yourself.

Watch a preview of Power Paths here!

Necessary action

They were sent to Iraq as cooks, clerks, and mechanics. Some were sent to provide supplies, and others logistical support, to the male troops. But when fighting unexpectedly broke out in the streets of Ramadi in April of 2004, those very women had no choice but to fight alongside their fellow soldiers. In fact, they were needed, and it did not seem to matter that they hadn't undergone combat training. After all, why would they be? The Department of Defense created a policy prohibiting women from ground combat. Despite this, since 2003, the United States military has been going against official policy and utilizing women in a variety of situations, from conducting house-to-house searches of Iraqis to fighting in some of the most violent and bloody battles to have taken place during the war.

Independent Lens: Lioness tells the story of five female U.S. Army soldiers who made history by becoming the first to be sent into direct combat. The group, members of “Team Lioness,” served one year together in Iraq. Told through personal accounts, journal excerpts, archival footage and interviews, Lioness reveals what the media time and again neglected to inform America of; that women are an integral and necessary part of the military in all facets. The women’s individual stories work in tandem to portray the effects of war from a female perspective. Watch Lioness Saturday November 3 at 12:30am on WETA TV26 and WETA HD.

In this scene of Lioness, the women are gathered together after returning from deployment and watch a documentary about the very battle they fought in. Surprisingly, they are purposefully edited out of any shots.

Looking for something to do this weekend in Maryland, Virginia, and DC? Check out our selection of musical, mysterious, and cinematic events right in your own backyard!

A Living Legend: Rama Vaidyanathan

If your only notion of Indian dance comes from Bollywood stereotypes, it’s probably time for a new perspective.  Take a cue from Dakshina’s Fall Festival of Indian Arts and watch a solo performance by one of India’s leading dancers.  Rama Vaidyanathan’s interpretation of Classical Indian dance introduces you to the beauty and elegance of ancient Bharata Natyam form.

Friday, 7:30pm

University of the District of Columbia Theater

4300 Connecticut Avenue NW Washington, DC

Cost: Starting at $18.50

Purchase tickets here!

Dancing with the Dead

On Friday, the Torpedo Factory Art Center celebrates the Mexican holiday, Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) with their fourth annual extravaganza featuring arts and crafts and a costume contest ! Put on your best Calaveras mask and dance to the music of local rock group, The Torches, while enjoying the cash bar and snacks.  Friday too far away?  Check out the Target Gallery’s exhibition of altars and other Day of the Dead themed art work, going on now through Sunday! 

Costume & Dance Party: Friday, 8-11pm
Altar Exhibition: Now through Sunday

Torpedo Factory Art Center

105 N. Union St.
Alexandria, VA 22314

Tickets: Advance, $15; Door, $20 or two for $35 (Student tickets: $10)
Special Discount: Purchase 5 advance tickets or more & get them each for only $10

Reserve your advance tickets by contacting 703-838-4565 x2 or events@torpedofactory.org

Select films opening Friday, November 2

A Late Quartet        (R)

When the beloved cellist of a world-renowned string quartet receives a life changing diagnosis, the group's future suddenly hangs in the balance: suppressed emotions, competing egos, and uncontrollable passions threaten to derail years of friendship and collaboration.  Starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Christopher Walken and Catherine Keener, and inspired by and structured around Beethoven's Opus 131 String Quartet in C-sharp minor, A Late Quartet pays homage to chamber music and the cultural world of New York.

Brooklyn Castle      (PG)

Brooklyn Castle tells the stories of five members of the chess team at I.S. 318, a below-the-poverty-line inner city junior high school that has won more national championships than any other in the country. The documentary follows the challenges these kids face in their personal lives as well as on the chessboard, and is as much about the sting of their losses as it is about the anticipation of their victories.

Flight              (R)

In this mystery thriller, Academy Award winner, Denzel Washington stars as Whip Whitaker, a seasoned airline pilot, who miraculously crash lands his plane after a mid-air catastrophe, saving nearly every soul on board.  After the crash, Whip is hailed as a hero, but as more is learned, more questions than answers arise as to who or what was really at fault and what really happened on that plane?

Watch the Around Town review coming this Friday! 

The Man with the Iron Fist                       (R)

Quentin Tarantino presents The Man With the Iron Fists, an action-adventure inspired by kung-fu classics as interpreted by his longtime collaborators RZA and Eli Roth. Making his debut as a big-screen director, co-writer and leading man, RZA—alongside an exciting international cast led by Russell Crowe and Lucy Liu—tells the epic story of warriors, assassins and a lone outsider hero who all descend on one fabled village in China for a winner-takes-all battle for a fortune in gold.  

The Loneliest Planet          (NR)

The summer before their wedding, Alex (Gael García Bernal) and Nica (Hani Furstenberg) are backpacking through the scenic Caucasus Mountains in Georgia.  The fit young couple, playful and affectionate, hire a local guide (Bidzina Gujabidze) to lead them on a camping trek, and the three set off into a stunning wilderness, a landscape that is both overwhelmingly open and frighteningly closed.  Suddenly, a brief but shocking pivotal incident occurs that changes everything.  Writer/director Julia Loktev's film is a haunting character study of love, betrayal and the ambiguities of forgiveness.

Watch the trailer here!

Last Chance!

Closing November 4th:

The Government Inspector at Shakespeare Theatre 

One Night with Janis Joplin at Arena Stage