Memorial Day Events on KCET

A robust line up of programming starting Sunday, May 29, at 7:30 p.m. and Monday, May 30, at 12:30 p.m. will include a variety of documentaries. – Courtesy photo

KCET, the nation’s largest independent public television station, recently announced plans to host two blocks of special programming during Memorial Day weekend, exploring the history of war and the healing of veterans. A robust line up of programming starting Sunday, May 29, at 7:30 p.m. and Monday, May 30, at 12:30 p.m. will include a variety of documentaries as well as a rebroadcast of the live performance of “Fallujah,” the first opera composed about the Iraq war experience produced in conjunction with the Long Beach Opera and explore.org.

The lineup includes the following:

“Sands of War” – Sunday, May 29, 7:30 p.m.

“Sands of War” recounts the forgotten story of the Desert Training Center, established in California’s Mojave Desert by General George Patton to prepare one million soldiers to fight in World War II. Told through the personal experiences of WWII veterans, using current and rare archival footage, “Sands of War” chronicles the compelling account of the young men and women thrust upon the stage of the world conflict. Peter Coyote narrates.

“Into Harm’s Way” – Sunday, May 29, at 9 p.m.

This 90-minute special takes an honest and unflinching look at the shadow that the Vietnam War continues to cast on surviving members of the West Point Class of 1967. Compelling interviews, archival photographs and footage, animated sequences, and contemporary clips chronicle the men’s experiences – from their challenging first year as plebes to the fierce jungle combat to their post-Vietnam lives. A collection of West Pointers poignantly share their first-hand stories about the carnage of war, the war’s impact on their lives and beliefs, and their enduring bonds of brotherhood.

“Heroes on Deck” – Sunday, May 29, at 10:30 p.m.

This documentary sheds light on a little-known training operation conducted by the U.S. Navy on Lake Michigan during World War II. Between 1942 and 1945, following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the Navy trained nearly 15,000 pilots, including 41st
President George H.W. Bush, to land and take off from two makeshift aircraft carriers in the safety of landlocked Lake Michigan. It was not until the late 1970s that interest in resurrecting the WWII fighters surfaced and, with the approval of the U.S. Navy, a skilled team of professionals developed the tools and techniques to locate and recover the forgotten warplanes.

Artbound “Fallujah: Art, Healing and PTSD” – Monday, May 30, at 12:30 p.m.

USMC Sergeant Christian Ellis was a machine gunner in Iraq, whose platoon was ambushed, leaving him with a broken back and only one of a few survivors. Ellis returned home to join millions of Americans who struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Ellis inspired the first opera about the Iraq war with a score composed by Tobin Stokes, a libretto by Iraqi-American Heather Raffo, and produced by the Long Beach Opera. This documentary explores how the experience of war is transformed into a work of
art.

“Fallujah Live” – Monday, May 30, at 1:30 p.m.

KCET will host a special rebroadcast of “Fallujah Live.” “Fallujah,” produced by the Long Beach Opera under the direction of Artistic and General Director Andreas Mitisek, is a modern opera inspired by the real-life story of United States Marine Corp Sergeant Christian Ellis whose platoon was ambushed and bombed, killing many of his fellow soldiers and leaving him with a broken back. With the encouragement and support of philanthropist Charles Annenberg Weingarten, Ellis collaborated with Iraqi-American playwright Heather Raffo to transform his demons into a work of art aimed at shining a light on the aftermath of war, PTSD, and the fragility of life. With a score composed by Tobin Stokes, “Fallujah” is an adrenaline-fueled lyrical opera, in which poignant melodies soar against driving rhythms and threads, ranging from electric guitar to Iraqi oud.
The opera was underwritten by Explore.org and initially aired live on KCET in March. “Fallujah Live” was directed by Emmy Award® winning television producer/director Kenneth Shapiro (The Academy Awards® and The Grammy Awards®).

“Searching For Home: Coming Back From War” – Monday, May 30, at 3 p.m.

“Searching For Home: Coming Back From War” explores the harrowing effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on military families when veterans return from combat, spanning from World War II to Afghanistan. Built on the pillars of The Truth, The Healing and The Hope, “Searching For Home” is an emotional and unflinching look at returning veterans and their search for the “home” they left behind physically, mentally, and spiritually.

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