Watch video – Discovery en espanol offers new content to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
Posted by Elena del Valle on September 21, 2009
Luis Silberwasser, SVP and GM, Discovery Networks U.S. Hispanic Group
Photo, video: Discovery en Español
Discovery en Español will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month 2009 with four original productions scheduled to begin airing September 20 and continue every Sunday night at 9 pm E/P during Hispanic Heritage Month (traditionally celebrated September 15 to October 15 see Getting Ready for Hispanic Heritage Month). The theme for this year is the optimism, determination, perseverance and courage of Hispanics to survive and conquer adversity. Scroll down to watch a Discovery en español video in Spanish about the 2009 Hispanic Heritage Month campaign.
The programs will explore the pilgrimage that transformed the lives of field workers and gave rise to César Chávez, a well known Latino leader, in La Marcha de las Uvas. Un Continente Tiembla, Vivir Para Contarlo, and Atrapados, focus on the fighting spirit of Latinos and their a shared drive and aspirations.
“During Hispanic Heritage Month, we look to offer our audience programming that is objective, enriching, and relevant. This Hispanic Heritage Month Discovery en Español will celebrate Hispanics, not only through original programming, but also via a national sweepstakes that will offer one lucky winner the chance to get a head start and to make his or her dreams come true,” said Luis Silberwasser, senior vice president and general manager of Discovery Networks U.S. Hispanic Group.
La Marcha de las Uvas, scheduled to air Sunday, September 20 at 9 p.m. is a one-hour special about Hispanic farm workers’ fight for equality in March of 1966 in Delano’s Fields, California. At that time, 70 grape pickers left the field to protest accompanied by the banner of the Virgin of Guadalupe and led by a humble farmer. The march culminated 25 days later, in Sacramento, with 10,000 people. The program name means The March of the Grapes in Spanish. The production required nine months and was filmed mostly in Delano and Sacramento, California by Eye Works/Cuatro Cabezas under the supervision of Michela Giorelli, director of production and development, Discovery en español.
Un Continente Tiembla, scheduled to air the following Sunday at the same time is a documentary about some of the worst natural disasters of Latin America. The goal of the program is to capture the spirit of survival of that region’s inhabitants. Using archival footage and dramatizations the producers showcase people’s resourcefulness when dealing with earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Guatemala, El Salvador, Mexico and Chile.
Atrapados airs the first Sunday in October and shares the story of 65 miners who died after an explosion at a coal mine in Mexico. The producers address the dangers of mining, what they believe may be one of the world’s most dangerous industries. The human story of the Mexican disaster is the central theme of the program which examines what happened at the Pasta de Conchos mine in Coahuila; how the trapped miners were cut off behind caved-in roofs with insufficient oxygen, and how and why the rescue workers, even after days of courageous efforts, were unable to reach them in time.
A series of six episodes,Vivir para Contarlo, is scheduled to begin airing Sunday, October 11) at 9 p.m. It is about some of the most terrible tragedies in Latin America, from the view point of the survivors, the rescue teams and the journalists who covered them. Each of the episodes will cover one particular tragedy, mixing archival footage, interviews, where-are-they-now sequences and dramatization. The series begins with Avalancha, Spanish for Avalanche, and runs every Thursday starting on October 29.
Starting on September 15, the Spanish language network will invite viewers to participate in its national Dreams come True initiative, which incorporates a sweepstakes and a virtual online share at discoveryenespanol.com. On the website visitors are in invited to exchange stories of aspiration and triumph via video and photo uploads.
Executives hope to receive submissions online that illustrate the dreams and achievements of Hispanics in the United States. They also anticipate 8 million impressions. Visitors can register for a chance to win a $5,000 cash prize towards a dream of their choice by calling 1.877.345.GANA or visiting the network’s website before midnight on October 15, 2009.
Discovery en Español, the Spanish-language voice of Discovery, offers Spanish speaking viewers in the United States science and technology, world culture and history, nature and wildlife and real-life drama from a selection of the Discovery networks and in house original Spanish-language content.
