Documentary Channel Spends a "Weekend with Oscar®" Honoring Academy Award®-winning and Nominated Films for Four Days in February

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Jan. 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Beginning Thursday, February 23, Documentary Channel (DOC) celebrates awards season with a special "Weekend with Oscar®." This four-day lineup presents Academy Award®-winning and nominated documentary favorites in primetime starting with the US television premiere of the Oscar-winning "Interviews with My Lai Veterans" (10 p.m. ET/PT).  This eye-opening film features interviews with US soldiers who were present at the infamous 1968 My Lai massacre during the Vietnam War.  Directed by Joseph Strick, the film is newly restored in special partnership between Documentary Channel and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.  As part of this stellar weekend, DOC will also premiere an all-new, one-hour Oscar-themed episode of "DocTalk," featuring exclusive interviews with this year's 84th Academy Award nominees on Friday, February 24 (8 p.m. ET/PT).

Also making its US television premiere is the Oscar-nominated "Burma VJ: Reporting from a Closed Country" on Friday, February 24 (9 p.m. ET/PT).  Going beyond the occasional news clips from Burma, acclaimed filmmaker Andrew Ostergaard skillfully utilizes the secret camera footage of courageous young citizens of the country.  Armed with small handycams, these Burma VJs stop at nothing to make their reports from the streets of Rangoon before smuggling their tapes out of the country.  The VJs' footage is then broadcast back into Burma via satellite despite the strict bans placed upon unauthorized news by the Burmese government. "Burma VJ" and the other films in "Weekend with Oscar" illustrate the great power and importance of documentaries.

"We commend the Documentary Channel and its on-going efforts to honor documentary film," said Ric Robertson, chief operating officer of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.  "As they have in years past, the channel is showcasing a remarkable lineup of Oscar-winning and nominated films." 

"Documentary Channel is both thrilled and honored to once again partner with the Academy to celebrate the extraordinary documentary films of the past, and to continue the tradition of providing an exclusive, in-depth look into this year's Best Documentary Feature nominees," said James Ackerman, president and CEO of Documentary Channel.  "In addition, we are honored to continue working with the Academy in an effort to restore documentary films, ensuring these crucial works of art can continue to inform, motivate and inspire for generations to come."

The remainder of Documentary Channel's exclusive "Weekend with Oscar" schedule is as follows (all times ET):

"WEEKEND WITH OSCAR" SCHEDULE

Thursday, February 23

• "Helicopter Canada" (4 p.m.)
• "Flamenco at 5:15" (5 p.m.)
• "The Story of the Weeping Camel" (6 p.m.)
• "War Photographer" (8 p.m.)
• "Interviews with My Lai Veterans" (10 p.m.)
• "Toward Independence" (10:30 p.m.)

Friday, February 24

• "Ferry Tales" (4 p.m.)
• "If You Love This Planet" (5 p.m.)
• "Iraq in Fragments" (6 p.m.)
• "DOC Talk: Oscar Special '12" (8 p.m.)
• "Burma VJ: Reporting From A Closed Country" (9 p.m.)

Saturday, February 25

• "Universe" (4 p.m.)
• "The Colours of My Father: A Portrait of Sam Borenstein" (5 p.m.)
• "Born Into Brothels" (6 p.m.)
• "Operation Homecoming" (8 p.m.)
• "With the Marines at Tarawa" (10 p.m.)
• "Seeds of Destiny" (10:30 p.m.)

Sunday, February 26

• "High Grass Circus" (4 p.m.)
• "War Dance" (5:30 p.m.)
• "Spellbound" (8 p.m.)
• "Hardwood" (10 p.m.)

Documentary Channel is primarily available through satellite television services DISH Network (Channel 197) and DIRECTV (Channel 267). 

About Documentary Channel®:  Documentary Channel (DOC) is the USA's first 24-hour television network exclusively devoted to documentary films and the independent documentary filmmaker, providing viewers with round-the-clock opportunities to see fascinating, eclectic and award-winning documentary films of all lengths and genres.  For more information on DOC, visit the network website at www.documentarychannel.com, in addition to www.facebook.com/DocumentaryChannel or www.twitter.com/doc_channel.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Ashley Sandberg
Triple 7 Public Relations, LLC
347.735.6480 | [email protected]

SOURCE Documentary Channel

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