Independent Lens to Host First Ever Social Event Screening for The Calling, a Groundbreaking Documentary Series
Exclusive Sneak Peek to Take Place on Independent Lens Fan Page on Facebook and Livestream
San Francisco, CA—The United States is one of the most religiously observant and spiritually diverse countries in the world, yet mainstream media has surprisingly underrepresented the significance of faith in the U.S. The Calling, a groundbreaking four-hour documentary series to air on Independent Lens in December, provides a fresh and nuanced portrayal of faith in today’s America by following the stories of seven young Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim Americans who are training for religious careers.
On Thursday, December 9, from 5:30pm PT / 8:30pm ET join Independent Lens and WTTW and the Art Institute of Chicago for an exclusive online sneak peek screening of The Calling on the Independent Lens fan page on Facebook or on our Livestream channel before it airs on PBS.
The half hour screening of selected scenes from the four-hour series will be followed by a panel discussion featuring the first and only gathering of the seven subjects of The Calling. Moderated by award-winning journalist and author Cathleen Falsani, the panelists will reveal how they started down the path of religious leadership, what prompted the decisions they have made, and what they hope to achieve in the future. The panel will be accompanied by a live chat where participants can ask questions and discuss their reactions to the film.
About The Calling:
The Calling (Danny Alpert, Series Director/Executive Producer) is a four-hour documentary series that follows seven Muslims, Catholics, Evangelical Christians, and Jews on a dramatic journey — training to become professional clergy. Embarking on life paths that demand tremendous personal sacrifice and commitment, these seminarians must uphold timeless truths in an era that values quick fixes and hot trends, and face a public that challenges the very relevance of their mission. The Calling takes viewers into the unknown world of seminaries to tell entertaining and compelling personal stories of how faith is lived today.
The Calling will air nationally on the Emmy Award-winning PBS series Independent Lens, hosted by America Ferrera, on Monday, December 20, 2010, and Tuesday, December 21, 2010, from 9 to 11pm (check local listings). The Calling is supported by What's Your Calling? (WYC), a digital and community engagement campaign that explores the notion of “calling” from both religious and secular perspectives, through a variety of media and written commentary. What’s Your Calling? is a partnership between The Kindling Group, See3 Communications, Active Voice, and, CPB, the Independent Television Service (ITVS).
For more information about Independent Lens visit: www.pbs.org/independentlens.
For more information about Community Cinema visit: http://www.itvs.org/engagement.
For more information about the WYC: www.whatsyourcalling.org.
CONTACT Voleine Amilcar, ITVS 415-356-8383 x 244 voleine_amilcar@itvs.org