Haunted by a Deadly Deployment in Afghanistan, a Brotherhood of Marines Reunites to Heal
(Los Angeles, CA/date) – VOCES “American Sons” follows a brotherhood of Marines a decade after their deployment to Afghanistan, as they struggle to overcome the trauma of combat and the loss of many of their comrades, including their dear friend, Corporal JV Villarreal, who was killed in action by an IED. The story of their time in Afghanistan is told through the video diary that JV recorded for his family back home. This personal, powerful footage provides a haunting window into what these young Marines experienced together. Now, a decade after JV’s death, his brotherhood of Marines continues to get together, helping each other cope with lingering trauma and strengthening the unbreakable bonds formed in war. A poignant exploration of grief and resilience, VOCES “American Sons” honors the service of these young men and spotlights the need for mental health support for veterans.
A retired music teacher creates a youth orchestra for immigrant children in one of Atlanta’s most diverse communities
(Los Angeles, CA/date) – Over her 40-year teaching career, Juana Alzaga has maintained a tireless commitment to her students. She’s led many school orchestras, but the Buford Highway Orchestra Project is different. This orchestra is comprised of the children of Central and South American immigrants who’ve made new homes along north Atlanta’s Buford Highway, one of the most diverse corridors in the South. For most, this is their only opportunity for music education. “La Orquesta” follows Juana, an indomitable teacher and activist, and her students over the course of one school year. The film tells a moving story of a community coming together to offer its children opportunities that should be accessible to all, even as they navigate health and financial challenges and increasing hostility toward immigrants.
VOCES “Omara: Cuba’s Legendary Diva” PREMIERES ON PBS AND PBS.ORG
ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2025
New Documentary Tells the Story of the Cuban Diva Who Rose to International Fame with the Buena Vista Social Club
Los Angeles, CA/ August 18, 2025 – If you’ve heard the Buena Vista Social Club, then you’ve heard the unforgettable voice of Omara Portuondo. Now in her 90’s, Cuba’s legendary diva has been a driving force in Afro-Cuban music for over half a century. In this intimate look at the life of one of the nation’s biggest stars and last grand dames, director Hugo Perez brings audiences along on an intimate journey, following Omara as she celebrates and shares the music of her beloved island with the world. Exploring her Afro-Cuban heritage, the Cuban Revolution, her meteoric rise to fame and her life as a single mother in Communist Cuba, this film serves both as a history of the Latin music revival and a testament to Omara’s amazing resilience and talent. And her story is finding new audiences once again, in the Tony Award winning Broadway musical “Buena Vista Social Club.” “Omara: Cuba’s Legendary Diva” premieres on the PBS series VOCES on Friday, September 26, 2025, 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET (check local listings) on PBS, PBS.org and the PBS app.
Brooklyn, N.Y. — August 12, 2025 — POV, the multi-Emmy® and Peabody Award-winning documentary, presents The Age of Water, the revealing debut feature from sibling co-directors Isabel Alcántara Atalaya and Emmy®-winning producer and cinematographer Alfredo Alcántara. Produced by acclaimed Emmy®-nominated filmmakers Michèle Stephenson and Joe Brewster (American Promise, Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project, The Changing Same), along with Lindsay Perna, co-produced and co-presented by Latino Public Broadcasting (LPB), the documentary investigates the devastating health and environmental consequences of industrial farming in central Mexico. What unfolds is a story of resilience, conviction, and the lies we tell ourselves about the world’s dwindling natural resources.
In New York City’s Most Quickly Gentrifying Neighborhoods, Fearless Residents, Activists, and Nonprofit Attorneys Fight for the Right to Decent and Affordable Housing.
WATER FOR LIFE tells the dramatic story of three community leaders in Latin America who resisted government and corporate plans to divert critical local water resources to mining and hydroelectric projects.
Latino Public Broadcasting (LPB) today announced the slate of long and short-form projects selected for production funding in 2025. Each year, LPB invites independent filmmakers to submit proposals for production and post-production support. Submissions are reviewed by LPB and a group of public media professionals, including journalists, independent filmmakers, and executives from national organizations.
Los Angeles, CA/September 23, 2024) – On the eve of the upcoming presidential election, acclaimed filmmaker Hector Galán takes viewers inside the largest Latino voter registration mobilization effort in Texas history, led by a new generation on the frontlines of a growing state that neither political party can afford to ignore. “Our Texas, Our Vote” traces the evolution of Texas as a Latino-majority state, examines the history of efforts to disenfranchise Latino voters, and profiles both conservative and progressive activists who are determined to increase voter participation among Texas Latinos. Produced and directed by Galán and executive produced by Sandie Viquez Pedlow, “Our Texas, Our Vote” premieres on the PBS series VOCES on Monday, October 28, 2024, 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET (check local listings) on PBS, PBS.org and the PBS app.
Los Angeles, Calif. – Oct. 9, 2024 – PBS SoCal, Southern California’s flagship PBS station, and Latino Public Broadcasting present VOCES: LATINO VOTE 2024, a new documentary and collection of digital shorts examining the priorities of the politically diverse Latino electorate in the run-up to the 2024 presidential election. Directed and produced by Bernardo Ruiz (as a follow up to his 2020 documentary) and produced by Andres Cediel along with Marcia Robiou, the film focuses on the key issues that will drive Latino voter turnout in some of the most hotly contested battleground states, including Arizona, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. The film also delves into the efforts both political parties are making to reach the Latino electorate in California and Florida, two states with large Latino populations. VOCES: LATINO VOTE 2024 premieres Tuesday, October 22 at 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET (check local listings) on PBS, PBS.org, and YouTube with a special early release of the documentary on Wednesday, October 9 on the PBS app. The ten digital shorts, which focus on the experiences of young, first-time Latino voters, will roll out online during October.