KCET Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Mon with Special Programming Beginning September 0

BURBANK, CA - Sept. 17, 2014 -KCET, the nations largest independent public television station serving Southern and Central California, commemorates Hispanic Heritage Month with several programs and documentaries that highlight influential figures of the Latino community. These specials capture the diversity of Hispanic voices and share with viewers their many inspiring stories.

Cubas Secret Side, Pts. 1 & 2 - Saturday, Sept. 20 at 7 p.m.

This two-part documentary, presented back-to-back, is a journey into the soul of Cuba. For three months, adventure filmmaker and author Karin Muller hitchhiked around Cuba - living with fisherman and farmers, Santeria priestess and country doctors. She was arrested over a dozen times, but in the end she managed to get beyond the propaganda and rhetoric to capture the true character of the Cuban people. CUBAS SECRET SIDE is an entertaining, insightful, and often humorous look at a side of Cuba that few foreigners get to see.

Cruz Reynoso: Sowing The Seeds Of Justice - Saturday, Sept. 20 at 10 p.m.

This special paints a portrait of a man touched by injustice as a child who dedicated his life to fighting discrimination and inequality as a lawyer, judge and teacher. The compelling biography, told through a combination of archival footage and interviews, charts Cruz Reynosos humble origins, his appointment to the California Supreme Court (the first Latino justice to serve in the states highest court) and more recently, his leadership on the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights

Immigrant Nation: The Battle For The Dream - Saturday, Sept. 20 at 11 p.m.

This feature documentary film is about the modern immigrant rights movement. In particular, it is the story of the struggle of Elvira Arellano, a single mother from Chicago, who fought her deportation. The film also interweaves the stories of individuals, organizations, activists and community leaders united by passion and a concern for justice. This film illustrates the opposition to the controversial HR4437 immigration bill as well as the ongoing struggle and demand for comprehensive immigration reform.

Johnny Chano Martinez: El Padrino Salsero - Friday, Sept. 26 at 8:30 p.m.

Johnny Martinez was known as the Godfather of Salsa in Los Angeles, but his influence ranged everywhere. In this documentary, the audience learns how he was part of a wave of Cuban-Style Music that brought all the exciting Latin sounds of the1950s. He started playing bass in the 1940s and worked with the great bands of Perez Prado, Chuy Reyes, Celia Cruz, Noro Morales, Tito Rodriguez, Carmen Cavallero, Migalito Valdez, and many more. Johnnys orchestra recorded albums for Capitol Records, RCA, Liberty, Columbia, Decca, Tropicana, Fiesta, and Musimex/Sono Tropic. Besides music, his career also included movies, commercials and radio and television appearances. In this documentary, Johnny recalls the pivotal moments of his career, and how much he loved people dancing to his music.

Linda Ronstadt: In Conversation - Monday, Sept. 29 at 9 p.m.

This KCET special features an exclusive interview with famed Latina Linda Ronstadt with award-winning journalist and radio personality, Patt Morrison, who discuss the rockers latest memoir, Simple Dreams. Ronstadt exposes the long and difficult road to becoming the most successful rock singer of the 70s and also reveals her inability to sing again due to her recent diagnosis of Parkinsons disease.

Cubamerican - Monday, Oct. 6 at 9 p.m.

CUBAMERICAN is a documentary that seeks to define a generation removed from Cuba at a very young age. The influence of this past is much more abstract to these people who fled the island nation as children with only vague nostalgic memories of playing on the beach. Despite spending most of their lives growing up in the United States, a strong Cuban identity remains.

ABC Colombia - Wednesday, Oct. 8 at 9 p.m.

ABC COLUMBIA is an intimate portrait of a small rural community in Colombia controlled by paramilitary forces. The film follows a group of young children through a school year, exploring the realities that nurture and perpetuate the violence that often forces them to make difficult choices.

Stranded: The Andes Plane Crash Survivors Wednesday, Oct. 15 at 9 p.m.

STRANDED is the tale of flight 571, which crash-landed in a desolate glacial valley, high in the Andes Mountains. 15 people died, including the pilot. Five were badly wounded. But -- miracle of miracles -- 29 lived. Three decades after the crash, the 16 survivors revive long-buried emotions and intimate memories. They take viewers, moment by agonizing moment, through their suffering, as hope turns into despair and as hours stretch into days and weeks. Finally, just before disbelief hardens into bitterness and fear turns to madness, the unexpected happens.

ABOUT KCET

On-air, online and in the community, KCET plays a vital role in the cultural and educational enrichment of Southern and Central California. KCET offers a wide range of award-winning local programming as well as the finest public television programs from around the world. Throughout its 50-year history, KCET has won hundreds of major awards for its local and regional news and public affairs programming, its national drama and documentary productions, its quality educational family and childrens programs, its outreach and community services and its website, kcet.org. KCET is a donor-supported community institution. For additional information about KCET productions, web-exclusive content, programming schedules and community events, please visit kcet.org. KCET is a service of KCETLink.

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LINK:	http://www.kcet.org/about/pressroom/kcet-press-releases/kcet-celebrate...
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