Why do some people rise to power and others do not? Why do we fall in love - not just with romantic partners but with friends and strangers? How has our need to share beliefs built human culture? National Geographic will seek to answer these big questions and many more with new series THE STORY OF US WITH MORGAN FREEMAN, premiering Wednesday, Oct. 11, at 9/8c on National Geographic. From the creators of the critically acclaimed series The Story of God with Morgan Freeman, this expansion of the network's hit franchise once again finds Freeman taking viewers on a global journey to meet with people from different cultures whose lives are shaped in surprising ways by different fundamental forces, this time exploring themes that unite us all. The series will premiere globally in early 2018 on National Geographic in 171 countries and 45 languages.
At a time when global events seem to be driving cultures apart, The Story of Us aims to reveal the common humanity that lies inside each one of us. Each of the six hourlong episodes will explore a single fundamental force or topic: freedom, peace, love, social division, power and rebellion. Along the way Freeman meets and speaks with powerful world leaders, ordinary people with extraordinary stories and everyone in between. "
Among those Freeman speaks with on his journeys:
Albert Woodfox ("The March of Freedom"), one of three prison inmates put in solitary confinement in Louisiana State Penitentiary in April 1972 after
THE KILLING of a corrections officer. He was kept in solitary confinement for more than 43 years until his conviction was overturned in 2014. He was finally released in 2016.
Paul Kagame ("The Fight for Peace"), the president of Rwanda, whose people have been able to make peace after a horrific civil war. Freeman also meets with a Tutsi who has reconciled with the Hutu who killed her family.
Joshua Coombes ("The Power of Love"), a hairstylist from London who began a global social movement called #DoSomethingForNothing, which encourages people to carry out everyday small acts of kindness. For Coombes, that meant offering free haircuts to the homeless to help give them back their dignity.
Megan Phelps-Roper ("Us and Them"), a prominent member of the Westboro Baptist Church before leaving in 2012. Since then, she has become an advocate for people and ideas she was once taught to despise - especially the value of empathizing with people across ideological lines.
President Bill Clinton ("The Power of Us"), who discusses what it's like to bear the weight of wielding great power, both in the United States and around the world.
Patrisse Cullors ("The Spirit of Rebellion"), one of the founders of the Black Lives Matter movement. The abuse of her brother at the hands of the police started her on the road to fighting for social justice.
...And many others.
"Talking with three presidents and two Nobel Peace Prize winners and traveling to remote regions of
AFRICA and Central America was a memorable experience for me. It was an incredible global journey to understand how human culture has taken on so many remarkable forms," added Freeman.
EPISODES INCLUDE
The Story of Us with Morgan Freeman:
THE MARCH of Freedom Premieres Wednesday, Oct. 11, at 9/8c Freeman travels around the world in search of a greater understanding of the concept of freedom. From solitary confinement and forced labor camps, to social taboos and laws that hinder speech and expression, freedom seems to be a constant struggle. As individuals and as entire nations, we are confronted with the question: Will we all ever be truly free?
The Story of Us with Morgan Freeman: The Fight for Peace Premieres Wednesday, Oct. 18, at 9/8c Freeman travels the world to study the cycles of war and peace. From the ritualized combat of the sacred Tinku festival in Bolivia to Rwanda's postgenocide reconciliation program, this episode deals with humanity's enormous capacity for violence and the endless pursuit of harmony. Conflict can drive innovation, but is war necessary? Physical barriers and a fear of destruction might make us more cautious, but is peace merely the absence of war?
The Story of Us with Morgan Freeman: The Power of Love Premieres Wednesday, Oct. 25, at 9/8c Can love change the world? Freeman is on a global quest to understand how this primal force binds us together as a species. From orphanages to battlefields, from arranged marriages to life on the streets, Freeman sees how love can be found in unexpected places - and how this force inspires us all.
The Story of Us with Morgan Freeman: Us and Them Premieres Wednesday, Nov. 8, at 9/8c Can we bridge
THE DIVIDE between "us and them?" At a time when the whole world seems to be polarizing into irreconcilable camps, Freeman sets out on a journey in search of the forces that push us apart, from intolerance of differences to fear of outsiders, and the possibilities of coming together.
The Story of Us with Morgan Freeman: The Power of Us Premieres Wednesday, Nov. 15, at 9/8c Can we find a way to distribute power so that everyone has their say? A U.S. president explains the challenges of making decisions that affect hundreds of millions of lives, and Freeman learns about an African woman who has created a society without men. He explores how the rise of the internet may fundamentally change how democracy works.
The Story of Us with Morgan Freeman: The Spirit of Rebellion Premieres Wednesday, Nov. 22, at 9/8c Freeman's quest to understand what makes a rebellion successful brings him face-to-face with exiles, whistleblowers, hackers and movement leaders. From Berlin to Bolivia to the United States, he'll see the courage, dedication, hard work and hope that it takes to try to change the world.
The Story of Us with Morgan Freeman will be available day-after broadcast on digital platforms including iTunes, Amazon and GooglePlay.
The Story of Us with Morgan Freeman is produced by Revelations Entertainment for National Geographic. For Revelations Entertainment, the executive producers are Morgan Freeman, Lori McCreary and James Younger. For National Geographic, the executive producer is Betsy Forhan; Kevin Tao Mohs is vice president, production and development; and Tim Pastore is president of original programming and production.
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