Afropop: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange - Season 15
Season 15
Public television's longest-running series devoted to showcasing content about the Black experience is back for its 15th season! AfroPoP's five episodes feature stories that celebrate the art, culture and creative of people of African descent. Poignantly told, each reminds us that, despite the hardships people of African descent face globally, our spirit of ingenuity burns bright.
Episodes
Can You Bring It: Bill T. Jones and D-Man in the Waters
Filmmakers Rosalynde LeBlanc and Tom Hurwitz trace the history and legacy of choreographer-dancer-director Bill T. Jones' ballet, "D-Man in the Waters." Emerging in the age of AIDS, the 1989 ballet gave physical manifestation to the fear, anger, grief, and hope for salvation that Jones and colleagues experienced as AIDS took the life of their beloved co-founder Arnie Zane and other troupe members.
Queen Kidjo
Claire Duguet's film is a guided tour of the life and indomitable spirit of international music icon and activist Angélique Kidjo. Featuring archival footage of the artist appearing with superstars Miriam Makeba, Celia Cruz, Youssou N'dour, Ziggy Marley, Philip Glass, and Peter Gabriel, the film also includes cameo appearances by contemporary music stars including Alicia Keys and Yemi Alade.
Bill Traylor: Chasing Ghosts
Born into slavery in 1853, Bill Traylor spent most of his life working the land in rural Alabama. He began drawing and painting in his later years, often with found materials. This film, by Jeffrey Wolf and Daphne McWilliams, is a compelling narrative about a man who, despite the hardships of legalized racism, produced a body of work exhibited in today's leading museums and collections worldwide.
The Sound of Masks
Mapiko is a traditional masked dance performed by the Makonde men of Northern Mozambique. Filmmaker Sara CF de Gouveia's film follows Atanásio Nyusi, a compelling storyteller and legendary Mapiko dancer, taking us on a visually dramatic journey through Mozambique's past (including Mapiko's role as a tool to challenge colonization during the Mozambican War of Independence) and its vibrant present.
Rewind & Play
Improvisational pianist and composer Thelonious Monk is among the 20th century's most revered jazz luminaries. This film by Alain Gomis, features raw footage from an interview the artist gave to French state television in 1969. It shows Monk in the grip of a violent factory of stereotypes, offering an unfiltered glimpse at the racial indignities some artistic geniuses are asked to endure.
Recently Updated Shows
Jeopardy!
Jeopardy! is a classic game show -- with a twist. The answers are given first, and the contestants supply the questions. Three contestants, including the previous show's champion, compete in six categories and in three rounds (with each round's "answers" being worth more prize money).
Son of a Critch
Based on the award-winning, best-selling memoir from Mark Critch. This new original comedy is the hilarious and very real story of 11-year-old Mark coming of age in St. John's, Newfoundland in the 80s. It's a heartfelt window into the life of a child – much older inside than his 11 years – using comedy and self-deprecation to win friends and connect with the small collection of people in his limited world.
The Last Woodsmen
The Last Woodsmen takes us deep into the secluded wilderness with these courageous and highly skilled loggers as they literally risk their lives. It's a rarely explored, dangerous business which translates to incredibly engrossing television.
On a floating barge hundreds of miles from civilization, veteran logger Jared Douglas puts everything on the line to harvest the largest timber in the world. One misstep in this high-risk industry could cost tens of thousands of dollars, or even a life. Joining him at the edge of the world is a tight-knit crew of lumbermen who, with only axes and hand-held power saws, take down massive, highly valuable trees that can be worth up to $70K each.
WWE Monday Night RAW
WWE Monday Night RAW is World Wrestling Entertainment's (formerly the WWF and the WWWF before that) premiere wrestling event and brand. Since its launch in 1993, WWE Monday Night RAW continues to air live on Monday nights. It is generally seen as the company's flagship program due to its prolific history, high ratings, weekly live format, and emphasis on pay-per-views. Monday Night RAW is high profile enough to attract frequent visits from celebrities who usually serve as guest hosts for a single live event. Since its first episode, the show has been broadcast live or recorded from more than 197 different arenas in 165 cities and towns in seven different nations: including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom twice a year, Afghanistan for a special Tribute to the Troops, Germany, Japan, Italy and Mexico.