Ovation, America's only arts network, is launching a new, weekly documentary block beginning tonight, February 25 at 7:00pm ET that feature some of the world's biggest artists - and the contemporary stars who love them. Featured hosts include Academy Award(R) winner and recent nominee Eddie Redmayne, Golden Globe(R) winner Idris Elba, multi-award winning actor Sir Ian McKellan, controversial comedian and actor Russell Brand, and more.
From the legendary Frida Kahlo and painters inspired by effects of combat and war, to beloved authors Roald Dahl and Jane Austen, to Idris Elba's relationship with Nelson Mandela and Russell Brand's exploration of how criminalization affects drug addicts, each of these films highlights the talent and passion of artists and how they've inspired the hosts.
"Not only do these documentaries feature works of art, but they are works of art themselves," said Scott Woodward, EVP of Programming and Production, Ovation TV. "Many of these are the personal passion projects of the hosts so they provide a unique perspectives on deeply personal subject matter. You can't find this type of programming anywhere else on TV."
Here are the documentary films scheduled over the next few weeks:
War Art with Eddie Redmayne - Premiering Thursday, February 25 at 7 pm ET
Oscar(R)-winning actor Eddie Redmayne takes an intensely emotional journey, visiting artists' studios, museums and travelling to battlefield locations to discover how artists have shone a powerful light into the abyss of warfare, leaving a unique legacy. Redmayne, who studied Art History at Cambridge University, explores the iconic canvasses of the Great War - Paul Nash, Stanley Spencer, John Singer Sargent and Henry Tonks - as well as the modernists C.R.W. Nevinson and David Bomberg, whose controversial art responded to the weaponry of the new machine world, changing the artistic landscape forever. Redmayne travels behind the scenes to see war art hidden away from public view - some censored, some never seen on film before.
Looking for Lowry - Premiering Thursday, March 3 at 7 pm ET
Internationally acclaimed Hollywood actor Sir Ian McKellan proves that L.S. Lowry is in fact one of our greatest 20th century painters in this entertaining documentary about the artist's life and work. The film illuminates Lowry's extraordinary vision and features interviews with everyone from author Jeffrey Archer to rock star Noel Gallagher (Oasis).
In Search of Frida Kahlo - Premiering Thursday, March 10 at 7 pm ET
Frida Kahlo is an artist who has become an international icon. The film follows one of her biggest fans, globally celebrated musician Emeli Sandé, as she retraces
THE LIFE behind the legend. Follow Sandé as she makes a pilgrimage to Mexico, where she pieces together the extraordinary life that inspired Kahlo's unforgettable works. With rare archive footage and exclusive access, this immersive and personal film is a unique look at
THE LIFE of a colossal artist.
Mandela, My Dad and Me - Premiering Thursday, March 17 at 7 pm ET
The film, directed by Daniel Vernon and featuring actor Idris Elba, chronicles
THE STORY BEHIND the creation of Mi Mandela, an album of South African music recorded by Elba in tribute to Mandela and to his own late father. The actor-singer was inspired after having spent months working on Mandela biopic Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.
Russell Brand: End the Drugs War - Premiering Thursday, March 24 at 7 pm ET
In this personal journey originally produced for BBC Three, Russell Brand sets out to find out how other countries are tackling their problems of drug abuse and explores how the
FRAMEWORK of criminalization implicit in the 'war on drugs' produces enormous harm in the treatment of addicts.
The Brilliant Bronte Sisters - Premiering Thursday, March 31 at 7 pm ET
English actress and writer Sheila Hancock has long been fascinated by
THE LIFE and works of the Bronte sisters. In this film, Sheila embarks on a journey that starts in the Yorkshire village of Haworth and the brutal moors that inspired Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights, moves on to Brussels, where Charlotte Bronte developed the writing style that made Jane Eyre an enduring masterpiece, and ends in Scarborough, the last resting place of Anne Bront.
The Genius of Roald Dahl - Premiering Thursday, April 7 at 7 pm ET
Roald Dahl is the one of the most successful children's authors of all time. Comedian and best-selling author David Walliams delves into Dahl's world, meeting those who knew him best along the way. To try and understand the great author's special touch, David immerses himself in the stories and characters in Dahl's books, and traces some of the influences on his work from his dramatic, tragedy worn life.
Jane Austen: The Unseen Portrait - Premiering Thursday, April 14 at 7 pm ET
Jane Austen is one of the most-celebrated writers of all time, but with only a sketch drawn by her sister, we have little idea of what she looked like. Specialist Austen biographer Dr. Paula Byrne thinks that this may be about to change - she believes that she's discovered a portrait of the author which has been lost for nearly two centuries and may offer fascinating new insights into how Jane once lived and portrayed herself to the world. This historical detective story follows Paula's quest to confirm that she really does hold one of the rarest literary portraits of all time. From eighteenth-century costume historians to the editor of Jane Austen's letters, Paula must interrogate as many specialists as possible to build her case to prove that this really is Jane.
Vivaldi: Mystery of the Four Seasons - Premiering Thursday, April 21 at 7 pm ET
With more than 1,000 recordings and millions of copies sold, Vivaldi's Four Seasons is one of the most popular pieces of classical music of all time. But why did the piece disappear into obscurity for more than 200 years after the composer's death? Progressive rock keyboardist Rick Wakeman (YES) turns detective to solve the mystery, visiting Venice, talking to fellow musician Mike Rutherford (Genesis) and finding out how the Four Seasons is being given a heavy-metal spin.
René Magritte: The Man in the Hat - Premiering Thursday, April 28 at 7 pm ET
British singer and actor Will Young has been a fan of painter René Magritte's mysterious works of art for years. Join him as he travels to the artist's birthplace in Brussels to discover more about the man behind his iconic bowler hat. Visiting his home (which is now a museum), the film reveals
THE LIFE and amazing art of one of the most influential figures in 20th Century art, a painter whose trademark suits and bowler hats concealed a rebellious and subversive nature.
In addition, Ovation will air the U.S. premiere of Millennials: Growing Up in the 21st Century, a six-part documentary series from filmmaker Rick Stevenson, on Thursday, May 5. This work of art provides an often emotionally raw look into the lives of a diverse group of 21 children as they transition from the innocence of childhood, through the turbulence of adolescence and emerge as young adults. Through yearly candid interviews over the course of 14 years, Millennials echoes in real life what the award-winning film Boyhood has done in fiction. The series continues through June 9.
For more information on where to find Ovation in your area, visit www.ovationtv.com
About
Ovation TV Ovation is an independent television and digital media company dedicated to celebrating and supporting all forms of arts and culture. Ovation TV, selectively curates and airs arts-related series, specials, documentaries and films. We also offer viewers an exciting line up of Ovation original productions.
Ovation TV is available to nearly 50M subscribers via cable, satellite and telco systems including Comcast Cable/Xfinity, DIRECTV/AT&T U-verse, Time Warner Cable, Verizon FiOS, Charter Communications, Bright House Networks, and many other smaller providers and is offered in both standard and high definition, as well as on VOD. In addition, Ovation champions artists through the Ovation Digital Arts network, a unique artist community dedicated to supporting and helping talented
Youtube creators grow their brands and businesses. Through The Ovation Foundation, the company is committed to advocating for the arts, nationally and locally, and has provided more than $15M in contributions and in kind support to arts institutions and arts education. You can follow Ovation on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest and OvationTV.com.
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